


Career Advice

by LittleRose13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Cute Teddy Lupin, F/M, Hairdresser Teddy Lupin, Harry Potter Next Generation, I'm still not sure how this ended up a multi chapter fic tbh, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Married Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Tattoos, Yule Ball, funny story how this one came about actually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-01-06 11:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12210279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRose13/pseuds/LittleRose13
Summary: The story of how Teddy Lupin didn't become an Auror."Now, you certainly don't need me to tell you that now is the time to start thinking about the path your career might take when you leave Hogwarts. You will each have a career advice session with me in the upcoming week, please sign up at my desk."Teddy hung back, taking an extra-long amount of time to put all of his school stuff away into his bag, along with a small sketch he'd just been working on during the class. Career advice seemed so stupid when he had absolutely zero clue what he wanted to do with his life and, quite frankly, he was confused at how sure all his peers seemed to be about their own futures. I mean, they were only fifteen?





	1. Needles and Paper Chains

"I think I'd like to work at the Ministry."

"Maybe something with magical creatures?"

"I want to play Quidditch for England!"

Teddy stared at his feet, willing the conversation to take a different turn before it got to him.

"Yes, very good, very good." Professor Vector (head of Hufflepuff house) hushed the class. "Now, you certainly don't need me to tell you that _now is the time_ to start thinking about the path your career might take when you leave Hogwarts. You will each have a career advice session with me in the upcoming week, please sign up at my desk."

Teddy hung back, taking an extra-long amount of time to put all of his school stuff away into his bag, along with a small sketch he'd just been working on during the class. Career advice seemed so stupid when he had absolutely zero clue what he wanted to do with his life and, quite frankly, he was confused at how sure all his peers seemed to be about their own futures. I mean, they were only fifteen?

The few times they'd spoken about it, Teddy had learned that his best friend Max felt a similar way which gave Teddy some comfort. It was certainly easier than when he spoke to Victoire about it and discovered she had a five-year plan for after Hogwarts and she was only a _third year_. It had made Teddy feel very inadequate in comparison. Spending time with Victoire often made Teddy feel inadequate because, Merlin, the girl was _perfect_.

Max had rushed out of his seat in a haste and was one of the first to sign up for careers advice, sprinting from the room with a quick glance at Teddy over his shoulder, as if wondering what was taking him so long.

Hanging around to be the last person to sign up backfired spectacularly when Teddy was faced with the parchment declaring the only remaining career advice slot was the first one. _Great._ Still, at least Professor Vector wouldn't have anyone else to compare him to. Teddy signed his name reluctantly and left the room, wondering vaguely if his friends would save him a seat at dinner.

"Ah, Edward." Professor Vector spoke kindly as Teddy slowly pushed the door to her office open. He bristled internally. He wasn't sure who 'Edward' was, it certainly wasn't a name he related to at all. He had been Teddy all his life, or 'Tebby' to his little sister Lily.

Lily wasn't Teddy's real little sister, Teddy's parents had died in the War, but she was Harry's daughter and, as Harry was the closest thing Teddy had to a father, Lily felt like a little sister. Although he had been raised by his grandmother, Harry and his wife Ginny included him as if he were one of their own and not just a Godson. Teddy was very grateful.

"Good evening Professor Vector," Teddy said politely as he crossed the room and took the seat she offered him across the desk. It all felt very formal and Teddy was put off a bit. He nervously played with the back of his turquoise hair and stared down at his prefect badge.

"So, you know why we're here of course. To discuss that lovely future of yours." She smiled and Teddy looked up. "Any ideas what you might like to do?" Her hand hovered over what Teddy could see was a stack of pamphlets.

"Ummm." Teddy had no idea how to respond. Wasn't this supposed to be career _advice_? "The thing is, I'm not really sure what I'd like to do," he said in a small voice.

"Not to worry, not to worry." Professor Vector abandoned the pamphlets and appraised him over the desk. "What do you enjoy doing?"

Teddy thought for a moment as Professor Vector rearranged some papers and Teddy saw his own exam record at the top of the pile in front of her. He wasn't really sure what sort of answer she was looking for.

"Well, I can play the guitar and I like to, um, sketch." He reeled off his hobbies without much enthusiasm. He doubted Professor Vector would be overly impressed with the story of how Teddy had discovered a load of records and an old guitar which once belonged to his mother and proceeded to teach himself to play.

"You're a very talented boy," the professor said kindly. "But what do you _enjoy?_ When are you at your happiest?"

"When I'm...er, helping people?" The response sounded lame and Teddy went to amend what he'd said.

"Spoken like a true Hufflepuff," Professor Vector said before he could continue. "Helping people." She glanced down at his exams record. "Ever thought about being a Healer? I see you have been achieving consistently good marks in Potions and Charms."

Teddy felt 'consistently good' was a bit of an exaggeration. His marks were definitely consistent, he wasn't failing, but they weren't the highest in the class or anything.

"Don't you have to be really clever to be a Healer?" Teddy asked in a concerned voice. Victoire wanted to be a Healer and Teddy thought she was probably cleverer than he was.

"You certainly have the potential if that's where you want your life to go," Professor Vector stated confidently. "Here, take this." she said, handing him one of the pamphlets which read _Turn Those Helping Hands Into Healing Hands_ beneath the St Mungo's logo.

"Thankyou Professor Vector," Teddy said politely, accepting the pamphlet and standing up to leave.

"Remember though Teddy, do something _you enjoy._ " She gave him a twinkling smile as he left the room and it wasn't until he was out in the corridor that he realised she had called him _Teddy._

So from that day on, Teddy joined in any conversations about the future by saying he was thinking about Healer school. He didn't want Victoire to think he was just copying her, so he taught himself a simple charm for healing small cuts and carried a bottle of Essence of Dittany around with him, although it lay unused and forgotten at the bottom of his bag rather obscured by broken quills and old parchment.

* * *

It was the Christmas holidays and Teddy was at the Potters' kitchen table, helping Lily make a paper chain and keeping a close eye on his wand to deter nine-year-old James from trying to steal it. Harry was sat opposite, his younger son Albus reading to him, stumbling adorably on some of the longer words while Harry helped him sound them out.

"Remember what your teacher said, look for the letters you know. What sound does that one make Al?"

"Puh, huh," Al stated carefully.

"But when puh and huh are together, can you remember the sound?" Harry looked expectant.

"Fffff," Al said with a giggle and Harry squeezed his shoulder in praise as they continued reading.

"How's school, Ted?" Harry looked up from Al to meet his godson's eye.

Teddy shrugged. "It's good, I like fifth year and being a prefect's not bad. We had careers advice before the holidays." He tried to make this seem casual and unimportant rather than something he was worried about.

Harry grimaced. "Any idea what you'd like to do?"

"Not you aswell." Teddy groaned and Harry sensed his godson's irritation.

"Sorry, I doubt I'm the first person to ask." Teddy shook his head at that. "But if you ever want to talk about it, you know where to find me."

Teddy smiled gratefully at the man he saw as the closest thing he had to a father. Something was stopping Teddy from spilling to Harry what he'd told all his friends at school; that he was planning to be a Healer. Somehow, it seemed incredibly insincere to share this with Harry.

"Tebby." Lily suddenly tugged at Teddy's sleeve, her paper chain link abandoned, a worried look on her face. "I hurt myself."

Harry looked up too as Lily thrust her finger towards Teddy, showing where she had swiped it on the edge of the paper and it was bleeding rather profusely. Her little face began to register how much blood the tiny cut had created and she started to panic, her bottom lip trembling and her eyes filling with tears. The room felt strangely airless to Teddy as he stared at Lily's injury.

"It's ok Lily, don't panic, it's just a paper cut!" Harry started to come around the table to inspect his daughter's finger. His movements seemed blurred and jerky to Teddy as he waved his wand quickly over Lily's hand and a buzzing sound filled Teddy's ears as his Godfather turned his gaze on him. "Teddy? Are you alright?"

Bright lights felt like they were being waved in Teddy's eyes and the kitchen seemed to slip away as he felt himself slump backwards.

"Tebby?"

Teddy's eyes opened and he was faced with the ceiling of the Potter's kitchen, obscured slightly by Lily's little concerned face peering over him. "What happened?"

"You fainted Ted," Harry said, sounding worried. "It was lucky I was standing there to catch you."

"I fainted?" Teddy was confused as he started to sit up, noting the woozy feeling in his head.

"You took one look at Lil's finger and that was it," Harry replied, helping Teddy to his feet and back onto a chair. He placed a glass of water and a chocolate frog in front of his Godson. "Was it the blood?" he added quietly, although Lily was happily continuing the paper chain and Al was looking at the pictures in his book, paying Teddy little attention.

"I guess," Teddy said casually. "That's never happened before." He felt a bit silly for fainting at something as small as a paper cut and he was pleased this had happened with Harry and not at school.

So Teddy was back to square one with his career. After all, a Healer who faints at the sight of blood is pretty useless.

* * *

It was later in the holidays and Christmas Day had been and gone. Teddy was round at the Potters' again, mercifully quiet for once with the younger children all napping. It was just Teddy and Ginny in the room, Teddy with his sketchbook out and Ginny peering over his shoulder.

"That's great Ted!" She praised his work and Teddy snapped the book shut immediately, not aware she had been watching him sketch. "Sorry, did you not want me to see?" she said softly, with a knowing look that told Teddy she had seen what he was drawing. Teddy didn't mind, Ginny would understand.

"No, sorry, you just frightened me," he explained apologetically and he checked the room to see they were alone. "You can see." He opened the sketch book again and let her stare at what he'd been working on.

Ginny was silent for a second and then she circled her arms around Teddy and gave him a warm hug, kissing the top of his floppy, blue hair. He reached his arms up to return her embrace, glancing at the sketch again out of the corner of his eye.

It was a wolf, but not a fierce or mean wolf. It was a wolf curled up as if just awaking, its tail tucked beneath it and its eyes kind and soft. The wolf would have looked fairly ordinary as a black and white sketch if it weren't for one small flash of colour. The wolf had a streak of bubblegum pink in its coat.

Teddy felt Ginny's grip relax around him and he felt brave enough to voice what he had been thinking. "I was thinking about getting this, um, tattooed," he said into the silent room and Ginny looked at him very seriously. "Only very small! Somewhere inconspicuous so only I know it's there, y'know."

He wasn't sure if he had judged things wrong and Ginny was going to tell him off and forbid him for doing such a thing and tell his grandmother what an irresponsible boy he was. He hung his head.

"It's a stupid idea, never mind," he muttered.

"No! No, it's not a stupid idea Teddy," she said quickly. "This means a lot to you, and it's an incredible drawing! You're so artistic, very talented. I think it's one of your better ideas actually."

"You do?" Teddy felt relief seep through him at her approval. "Would you, er, maybe come with me to get it done?"

"You can't morph tattoos then?" she asked.

"No, I've tried and they don't come out the same as the drawing. I tested it out once and it looked like Al had tattooed it onto me." He laughed and Ginny joined in.

"It'll hurt you know?" she said, giving him a sideways glance. "More than your earring." She lightly flicked the tiny ring in his ear, almost a year old now.

"I know. That's okay, I really want this," Teddy replied honestly.

"Fine, I'll come with you, but if anybody asks, you swore to me Andromeda gave you full permission, agreed?" Teddy knew his sheepish look was enough to give away that this was not the case. He knew his grandmother would say he had to wait until he was of age, but really when did she ever see his shoulder blade? She didn't need to know.

It _did_ hurt.

Teddy squeezed onto Ginny's offered hand so hard he'd had to apologise profusely afterwards, but she didn't seem to mind one bit. Teddy thought about the days when Ginny played Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies and remembered her pain threshold must have been pretty high.

He'd chosen a magical tattoo artist just off Diagon Alley after Ginny suggested magical colour changing ink for the streak of pink in the wolf's hair. Teddy thought this was a great idea and was even more overjoyed when the tattoo artist had explained he was able to make the wolf move if he wanted to.

When it was finished, Teddy's left shoulder blade was home to his design, the tiny wolf curling up neatly into him to sleep.

"It'll stay like that for a few days while it's healing but then he should wake up," the tattoo artist explained and Teddy grinned at Ginny, who looked impressed.

* * *

"That's awesome!" Teddy's best friend and fellow Hufflepuff fifth year, Max McKinnon, was the first of Teddy's friends to be allowed a look at Teddy's small but significant tattoo. He decided he was only going to show it to a few people, he didn't really want his grandmother to find out just yet. "Did you really draw this?"

Teddy nodded shyly as the wolf raised its head.

"Will you design me one?" Max responded eagerly.

"Sure!" Teddy grabbed his sketchbook and removed a page, resting it atop and dipping his quill into ink.

For the rest of that day, every lesson was spent working on the design and passing it back and forth between Max and himself. On its journey across the fifth year Hufflepuffs, quite a few other people saw the design and by the time dinner was over and the common room filled with people, there was a crowd gathered around Teddy as he worked on more designs, several people commissioning new ideas as he went.

Teddy glowed with pride as his friends passed his work around and praised him for his talent. Drawing wasn't something Teddy had ever been taught but it was something he had always enjoyed. _Shame I can't be a professional sketcher when I'm older,_ Teddy thought to himself gloomily.

What started as a bit of common room fun, culminated in Max sitting across from Teddy days later, his arm stuck out and his sleeve pulled back to reveal his forearm.

"Are you sure you trust me to do this?" Teddy asked uncertainly, looking at the equipment in front of him.

"C'mon Ted! It's really simple, you won't mess this up." Max seemed unconcerned.

Teddy wasn't quite so sure that drawing a simple sketch with a quill was quite the same as permanently inking it onto his friend's body but Max looked so keen and eager for him to do it that Teddy didn't have the heart to say no.

"Right, okay, deep breath then." Teddy dipped the needle into the ink (both had a sterilisation charm cast on them, Teddy had insisted) and carefully poked it into Max's arm. It left a satisfying but small dark spot where the needle had been. "You okay?" Teddy asked his friend with concern.

"Didn't feel a thing, go on finish it!" Max was beaming as Teddy continued to dip the needle back and forth between the ink and Max's skin. It didn't take long for a line to form, followed by another, until the outline of a tiny paper aeroplane, no bigger than a thumbprint, shone brightly on Max's pale arm, its edges rimmed with red.

"Finished," Teddy stated proudly, sitting back to admire his handiwork.

Max was overjoyed with the tiny image and insisted it didn't hurt at all. Teddy knew from his own tattoo experience that Max was probably lying but he didn't bring it up. However, Max's enthusiasm attracted the attention of many others and Teddy had a bit of a waiting list, all wanting him to do the same thing to them.

"You should start charging people, y'know, make it into a little business," Max said excitedly.

That night in bed, Teddy thought about what Max had said. _Could_ he make this into a business? Even a career? Teddy didn't want to get too ahead of himself but there was something about knowing that so many people wanted _him_ to help them that gave him a really good feeling.

* * *

" _What_ were you thinking Lupin?" Teddy cowered at Professor McGonagall's stern voice. He had never been on the receiving end of a real telling off from her before.

"I'm sorry Professor, I'm really sorry." There wasn't much else to say, what had he been thinking? He'd been thinking it seemed like a fun idea and then he was quite pleased with the result and Max had _really_ wanted him to do it and had been so thrilled with it. Teddy wasn't sure that was the sort of answer Professor McGonagall was looking for.

"You could have really hurt him, did you even know what you were doing?" she continued, still in that extremely stern voice. Teddy hung his head in shame, her words resounding with him. Maybe he _could_ have hurt Max, and he would never have forgiven himself if he had.

"We did use a sterilising charm on the needle." Max made a feeble excuse, his own head hung too.

"Well, at least you had just about enough sense to do _that_." She sighed. "You will both receive a week's worth of detention and I will be writing to your families. Mr McKinnon, I am quite sure your mother will send a howler when she hears you have allowed Mr Lupin to _permanently_ mark your skin."

Max gulped and looked at Teddy. Teddy looked back, pleading with his eyes for Max not to reveal anything to Professor McGonagall about Teddy's own tattoo.

But Max was a good friend. "I'm quite sure you're right Professor."

"You may go, return here later tonight after dinner where you will serve your first detention. _Separately._ "

The boys trudged out of her office, looking forlorn. "Cheer up! At least we can still go to Hogsmeade!" Max said brightly, glancing at Teddy's hair which Teddy assumed had switched from its usual blue to the light brown it sometimes took on when he was feeling down. One glance up at his fringe confirmed this. "I thought she'd say we were banned from the next trip."

This was a small comfort for Teddy, who had had only two detentions his entire school career and never an _entire week's worth_. What would his grandmother say? What would Harry and Ginny say? Teddy's pleased and proud feeling from the previous day, when he'd been surrounded by people eager for his ideas, seemed like a distant memory. He no longer felt particularly proud of what he'd done after that dressing down from McGonagall.

"Hey, you could still do Calum's later!" Max was still cheerful and misread Teddy's mood. "He wants one on his back, McGonagall would never know!"

"No," Teddy said shortly. "I'm not getting anyone else into trouble."

* * *

"Let's see it then, Teds!" Victoire's familiar voice echoed down the deserted corridor and she dashed towards him eagerly, her silvery hair swinging around her. "C'mon, I've been waiting _forever!_ "

Vic had a tendency to be somewhat overdramatic at times. Teddy grinned, his first real smile since the night before, welcoming the distraction from worrying about what post might be waiting for him at breakfast as he walked alone.

"In here," he said, pulling the third year towards an empty classroom. She followed without hesitation, bouncing around on the balls of her feet.

It was difficult to show Vic his shoulder blade under his school uniform and he ended up removing one arm from his Hufflepuff sweatshirt and unbuttoning his school shirt, swinging his loosened tie to one side. He gestured for Victoire to push the fabric out of the way where she was standing behind him excitedly.

"Oh it's so cute!" she exclaimed when it came into view. "I mean, er, not _cute_. Fierce, and scary, yes, a fierce and scary wolf," she amended awkwardly and Teddy laughed.

"It's ok. It's not supposed to be fierce and scary," he explained.

"For your dad, right?" she said gently. Vic was one of only a few people Teddy confided in about his parents.

"And mum, the pink," Teddy replied, lowering his uniform and turning to Vic as he stuffed his arm back into his uniform sleeve.

"Of course! Teddy, it's perfect." She gave him a wide smile which lit up her pale blue eyes and threw her arms around him in a friendly hug. "You're very talented," she said as she released him and they walked together from the classroom and towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

* * *

_Dear Teddy,_

_I have just received a correspondence from Minerva and was quite shocked at its contents. She seems to be under the impression that you have given another boy in your year group a tattoo? I very much hope she is mistaken Edward and that there is a simple explanation for this. I did not bring you up to behave in such an irresponsible way and certainly never expected this of you._

_Unfortunately, I know that Minerva does not make mistakes easily, leaving me to believe that what she says is true. I am very disappointed in you Edward and thought you knew better than this. Please think carefully about your actions in the future, particularly when they involve permanently marking another human being._

_I miss you lots, darling, and I'll see you at Easter._

_Love Grandma_

Max thought Teddy had got off lightly when he compared the letter to his own, rather less wordy, howler which had arrived during breakfast that morning and made Teddy burn with shame. Max found it all quite funny. The truth was, Teddy would have preferred his grandmother had sent him a shouting letter. Her being angry with him was far easier to deal with than her disappointment. He'd let her down and in doing so, felt like he was letting his parents down.

Teddy couldn't face any breakfast food and was about to make an excuse to leave the table when another owl swooped over him and dropped another letter in his lap. The envelope had 'Ted' scrawled on it in the corner and the rest was taken up with a large and childish drawing of what was probably supposed to be a hippogriff but looked more like a camel giving a chicken a piggyback ride.

Teddy knew who it was from immediately and opened it quickly, scanning the contents.

_Teddy my love,_

_Have we taught you nothing? If you're going to do something you shouldn't, don't go and get yourself caught! I mean really? Did you not think anyone would notice a whacking great tattoo on Max's arm that hadn't been there the day before?_

_Your grandmother's been round, wondering what to do. I told her she doesn't need to do anything and you will have learnt your lesson but she was fixated on how on earth you'd come up with the idea in the first place. Don't worry, I didn't tell her about our little outing at Christmas. She didn't mention it so I assume she still doesn't know? Anyway, I covered for you Ted, and said I was to blame. I made up this whole story of a girl in my year at school who'd given herself a stick and poke and said I'd told you it at Christmas and that's where you got the idea from. I think she bought it!_

_You owe me a lot of babysitting Mister!_

_Love Ginny_

_PS Harry wants to see your tattoo when you come home at Easter, I hope you don't mind that I told him, he's more intrigued than mad, promise!_

Teddy grinned widely, his mood lifting slightly. He could face his grandmother's disappointment if he had Ginny on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story actually, this came about from a tiny headcanon I had when writing one of my other stories, Little Girl. It was the most inconsequential detail but it got me thinking about how that would have come about and I sat down to write it and ended up with enough for a multi chapter fic! This was originally only going to be one chapter long, so it does jump quite quickly through time; the next chapter will be the start of Teddy's sixth year.  
> Thankyou so much for reading and please let me know what you thought! Chapter 2 isn't far from being finished so I can have it up soon if anybody is interested :)  
> follow my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) for updates: littlerose13writes


	2. Earrings and Vowels

“Ted.” His grandmother gently nudged his side and pointed towards the kitchen window where, in the distance, the silhouette of an owl could be seen against the summer morning sky.

Teddy nearly spat his breakfast pumpkin juice out in surprise but just about managed to instruct his mouth to swallow it before he cried out. “Do you think that’s them?!” he placed his empty glass back on the table with a clatter and jumped up from the table, rushing over to the window and wrenching it open with both hands.

The tawny owl swooped in smartly, landing neatly on the draining board and offering its leg to Teddy. He gulped when, sure enough, the Hogwarts school crest was clear on the envelope. His hands trembled as he undid the letter and removed it, allowing the owl to fly off on the path it had taken.

“Come along and open them then,” his grandmother encouraged, steering Teddy back to the breakfast table. For one strange second, Teddy felt like he didn’t want to open the envelope. He had really and truly tried his best in each of the exams and it was a bit unnerving to know that it all came down to the contents of that envelope.

Andromeda busied herself with making cups of tea (Teddy preferred coffee) and he knew this was his cue to open the envelope. He also knew she wouldn’t peer over his shoulder and would wait for him to choose to tell her his results.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and eased the slip of parchment out, opening it and scanning each line carefully, willing himself not to look down at the whole thing in one go.

_ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

_Pass Grades: Outstanding (O)_ _Exceeds Expectations (E)_ _Acceptable (A)_

 _Fail Grades: Poor (P) Dreadful (D)_ _Troll (T)_

 _EDWARD REMUS LUPIN HAS ACHIEVED:_  
_Astronomy:                                      E_  
_Arithmancy:                                     E_  
_Care of Magical Creatures:              A_  
_Charms:                                             E_  
_Defence Against the Dark Arts:       E_  
_Herbology:                                        O_  
_History of Magic:                            A_  
_Potions:                                             A_  
_Transfiguration:                                O_

Teddy read it through three times in total before he looked up at his grandmother’s patient expression. “I passed everything, Gran!” He beamed at her and she pulled him into a warm hug, Teddy was in shock as she patted his turquoise hair. “Everything, every exam.”

“That just goes to show, hard work pays off.” His grandmother tapped the end of his nose, reaching up now that her grandson was taller than her. Teddy had most definitely had a growth spurt in the last few months. “Can I see?” She held her hand out for the parchment and Teddy handed it over immediately.

He watched as she scanned her eyes down the results, thinking over them again. He’d scraped an Acceptable in Potions, easily his worst subject, and had even managed an Exceeds Expectations in Arithmancy, which was a surprise after he had something close to a nervous breakdown the night before the exam and Victoire had found him crying in the library.

“Teddy I’m so proud of you.” She had finished reading the transcript and hugged him again. Both of their eyes fell naturally to the small, but significant, framed photograph on the kitchen wall near the clock. His mother and father smiled out of it proudly, his mother waving his own tiny, infant hand at the camera. “They’re proud of you too, so proud.”

Teddy felt his throat narrow and his eyes glaze over. Moments like this always served as a reminder of the parents he had never known. “Can I floo Harry?” he asked, blinking rapidly.

“After breakfast, of course.” His grandmother returned to her tea making and Teddy grinned to himself, returning to the table and grabbing a spare piece of parchment and a quill. He quickly scribbled a note.

_Vic,_

_I passed Arithmancy! And you know better than anyone how awful I was feeling about that one, I got an E!_

_Hope you’re still having a lovely time in France and I’ll see you at The Burrow next week._

_Miss you lots!_  
_Teds_

He would write to Max later too and find out what he got.

“You know, with results like that, you could look into becoming an Auror,” his grandmother suggested lightly, placing a cup of tea in front of him and frowning when he added an overloaded spoonful of sugar.

“Um, yeah, maybe,” Teddy muttered, thinking of Harry and his job and struggling to see himself able to handle things the way Harry did. He knew his mother had been an Auror, and his father known for his Defence Against the Dark Arts skills, but somehow the combative nature of the subject had never sat quite right with him. “I don’t think my Potions result is good enough though.”

“What _would_ you like to do?” she pressed him with the dreaded question. “Are you still thinking of becoming a Healer?” She sounded uncertain, which was fair enough as Teddy hadn’t mentioned it in quite some time.

“No to being a Healer, the sight of blood makes me feel faint,” he admitted.

“Well, _what_ then? You’re a N.E.W.T student now, Teddy. You have to start making these plans.” Teddy felt a churning feeling in his stomach and his face heat up.

“I don’t... I don’t really know, Gran. There’s not one specific thing I want to do,” he muttered. “I want to do something where I can interact with people, and help them if I can. That’s what made me consider Healing. I don’t want a job where I’m stuck behind a desk or something.”

He thought about the short period of time last year in which he’d considered (and been encouraged by Max) becoming a tattoo artist. The idea of bringing this up now as a potential career option to his grandmother was actually laughable. Besides, she still didn’t know about Teddy’s own tattoo. But he could still remember the feeling of everyone in the Common Room gathering around him and wanting his help; help only _he_ could give them.  
He wanted a job that made him feel like that.

“Well, I'm sure you'll think of something soon enough. Just, Teddy, please give it some thought when you're back at school. It's never too early and I just want to help you.”

“I will Grandma.” Teddy sighed, feeling like a bit of a disappointment for not already knowing what he wanted to do.

“Now, finish that breakfast if you want to floo Harry before he leaves for work.”

 

* * *

 

N.E.W.T studies, it turned out, were _very_ difficult.

If Teddy had thought his Arithmancy exam was stressful before, he could already picture the nervous breakdown he could expect now he was studying it at N.E.W.T level. Arithmancy was arguably the most difficult subject Hogwarts offered but it was also Teddy’s favourite.

He and Max were the only two Hufflepuffs taking Arithmancy N.E.W.T and the rest of the houses were equally low on representation, with only one Gryffindor and a handful of Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

Professor Vector made it very clear that it was not a syllabus which could be learnt the night before the exam and those who succeeded would be those who put the work in from day one. This seemed rather obvious to Teddy, but Max rolled his eyes as if she was exaggerating.

She'd started their first lesson off (after this quick lecture) by setting them a problem to solve, indicating that there were three different approaches to be taken. The strict professor was looking for them to accurately identify what the approaches could be rather than just finding the solution. Teddy was working methodically through the problem as Professor Vector approached.

“Excellent technique. Five house points.” She praised him with a grin. “Oh and Edward?” That got his attention and he looked up from his work. “Well done, I was really pleased with your O.W.L.”

Teddy blushed and mumbled “thanks Professor Vector,” as she continued to study his work. She went to move away to the next person but then froze.

“Edward Lupin, is that _another_ earring?” Professor Vector shook her head disbelievingly. Having been Teddy’s head of house since he arrived at Hogwarts, it wasn't uncommon for her to reprimand him slightly more than a student from another house.

Teddy nervously clutched at his ear, which was indeed home to not just one new piercing, but three. “Um, yes.”

“I think they look wicked, Professor,” Max stated loyally from Teddy’s side.

“Thankyou for that assessment Mr McKinnon.” Professor Vector dismissed his comment and turned back to Teddy. “Are you sure you wouldn't rather take them out? It might make it more difficult for you to get a job when you graduate.”

Teddy resisted the urge to heavily roll his eyes and he worked to keep his tone polite. “I put them in because I like them, Professor and this is how I want to look. I don't actually want a job which will make me change the way I look.”

What he was saying was exactly how he felt, but he also thought privately that Professor Vector’s view was a bit outdated. Yes, the majority of top ministry employees tended to go for the straight laced, side-parting-and-shiny-shoes look but not all of them did by any means. Victoire’s father, Bill, was _highly respected_ in the curse breaking field and _he_ had an earring. Even Harry - who had been the youngest ever Head of the Auror Office - had done so with long hair and a beard.

Not that Teddy wanted to be a top ministry employee, but he really wished Professor Vector would stop getting on at him to change his appearance, partly because she knew he could so easily. It was almost like she didn't understand why, if he could look any way he wanted, he would choose to look the way he did.

She was the only Professor who frequently suggested he might like to try a ‘more natural’ hair colour. Teddy had agonised over the colour of his hair for most of his childhood, finally realising that blue felt the most _right_ at around the age of nine, partly because he didn't share it with anybody else. He'd opted for a bright, neon, turquoise shade in his youth and when he first started Hogwarts, although he now preferred it to be a more toned-down, deeper shade that didn't clash with Hufflepuff yellow. So Professor Vector telling him to choose something ‘more natural’ just didn't make any sense to Teddy.

When he had first started Hogwarts, his grandma had attempted to suggest the same thing. Teddy spoke to Ginny about it who spoke to his grandmother and agreed with her that, unless Professor McGonagall said he needed to change his hair, Teddy should be allowed to keep it the way he wanted it.

Professor McGonagall had never said anything about Teddy’s hair.

“You know I'm only saying this to help you,” Professor Vector continued, moving along to check Max’s work.

It seemed to Teddy that all the people wanting to help him with his future were doing a great job at just confusing him even more.

 

* * *

 

At the end of a long first day of N.E.W.T classes, Teddy finally found time to catch up with Vic and share his O.W.L results with her. It wasn't uncommon for students of different houses to sit together at dinner, and Teddy had joined her at the Ravenclaw table.

She held his transcript over her face and scanned over it, her smile growing, then she dropped her hand down and stared at him, open-mouthed. “As if you’re All Vowels!”

‘All Vowels’ was a Hogwarts term for achieving pass grades in every exam. No Ps, Ds or Ts meant all the grades were vowels.

“I told you you’d pass Potions! That’s amazing, Teds.” Victoire patted him on the shoulder, her long, silvery hair pulled up into a ponytail which cascaded halfway down the back of her robes.

When they were both little, Victoire had desperately wanted her hair to be as long as her mother’s and was too impatient to wait for it to grow past her shoulders. Every day she would ask Bill when her hair would grow, thinking that it was an overnight process. Teddy teased her by morphing his own hair long and swishing it around in front of her until she burst into frustrated tears. He hadn’t meant to make her cry. He felt so bad about it that he’d let her play hairdressers on him for the rest of the day.

“I must have just scraped that A though. I mean, you know as well as I do that I’m not great at Potions,” he sighed.

“Hey, stop putting yourself down. You’re better than you think,” she said very seriously.

“I’m not as good as you,” he replied with a shrug. “You’re the best third year in Ravenclaw.”

“Fourth year now,” she corrected.

“Yeah that’s right! I keep forgetting I'm a sixth year.”

“And it’s a Yule Ball year, and I’m _finally_ old enough to go,” she gushed happily.

Despite the Triwizard Tournament never being resurrected, Hogwarts had responded to the students’ requests and had reinstated the Yule Ball. It now took place the day before the Christmas holidays, once every two years, and was open to students in fourth year and above. Teddy had attended in his fourth year, plucking up the courage to ask his friend Melanie to be his dance partner.

“Merlin, it is isn’t it?” Teddy wondered if he could ask Melanie again. She was just as clueless about dancing as he was and they’d had a laugh last time.

“I hope somebody asks me,” Victoire said wistfully, twirling the end of her ponytail around her fingers.

“Of course you'll be asked, Vic. Stop fishing for compliments.” He poked her lightly in the side.

“I’m not!” she complained and scooted away from his poke. “Teddy you're such a _boy_.”

Teddy looked down at himself in mock surprise before glancing back at her, his jaw dropped. “So I am! Has anyone told my Grandma yet?”

She shook her head at him, rolling her eyes, but there was a grin on her face. “I wish we could just go together, it would be so much fun!”

“Why can't we do that?” Teddy responded. He still didn't fully get this _Ball_ thing that seemed to make some people act weirder than normal.

“ _Because,_ ” Vic offered, providing Teddy with no further advice on the matter.

“Because…?” He probed.

“You'll only laugh at me.”

“Probably, yes, but will you explain it to me anyway?”

“Because I sort of _want_ to be asked. And this conversation and the question ‘why can't we do that?’ isn't really what I had in mind,” she teased him good-naturedly.

“Why would I laugh at you for wanting to be asked?” Teddy was confused, especially knowing Vic as well as he did. She was a bit of a hopeless romantic, having spent her childhood obsessed with the idea of Princesses and Prince Charmings.

“You laugh at me for most things, Teds,” she replied in a deadpan tone but Teddy knew she wasn't really upset.

“My way of showing love, Princess.” He put on a simpering expression, morphing himself to look like an imitation of the Prince in Vic’s storybook.

“Oh shut up!” She hit him over the back of the head with the O.W.L results, laughing along with him as he returned his features to normal.

“We could never be partners though,” Teddy said in a serious tone. Victoire picked up on it and looked up at him, slightly offended. “Face it, Vic, I’d upstage you with my dancing.”

Victoire fell into peals of laughter.

Vic had taken ballet classes since she was a toddler and still did ballet at Hogwarts. Grandma had once suggested Teddy try it too, to get him out from under her feet for an hour, and Teddy had genuinely and truly enjoyed his first ballet class in the innocent way only a five-year-old can. Despite his enthusiasm though, there was no denying he possessed absolutely no natural rhythm or poise and he'd given it up fairly soon after.

“Who _are_ you going to ask, Teddy?”

“Blimey, I don't know, Vic. I forgot the bloody thing was happening this year.”

Teddy considered her question. There were a few girls he’d noticed in his time at Hogwarts and he'd spent the odd Hogsmeade weekend on what might be described as a date and he’d kissed a couple of girls in his time, but nothing ever came of any of them. Max had had a girlfriend for a bit last year and they'd both been too embarrassed to speak to one another for the majority of the relationship. Teddy didn't much like the idea of that. He decided to just ask Melanie again.

 

* * *

 

As it happened, Melanie had already secured herself a partner for the Ball, which Teddy discovered at the end of November. He was reclined on a squashy armchair in the Hufflepuff common room, half-heartedly proof reading his Herbology essay, two of his friends nearby.

“Oh this one’s gorgeous!” one of the sixth year girls gushed to the other, brandishing an open magazine towards her. “Try this one out Meli!”

“I’m not sure Soph.” Melanie stared at the picture. “It looks pretty complicated, all those different plaits and twisty bits.”

“Please?” Sophie whined and Melanie gave in with a sigh, taking the magazine and looking at the picture of the hairstyle again while Sophie brushed her long hair out.

“Merlin, this looks difficult,” she muttered under her breath.

Teddy watched his friends’ exchange and grinned. “Let’s see?” Melanie leaned the magazine to face him. “Nah, looks pretty straightforward to me.” He grinned and screwed up his face, morphing his own floppy, blue mop into an exact replica of the style the girl in the magazine was wearing.

The girls burst out laughing and Teddy beamed. He was never one to mind about making himself look a bit foolish, and he was all the more popular for it.

“Oh Ted, I’m so jealous that you can just do it in seconds! I wish _I_ could do that.” Sophie sighed and played with the ends of her hair.

“Wait, Teddy, hold still a second,” said Melanie, reaching up to Teddy’s head and touching the hairstyle. “Ah, so that part has to twist _under_ the ponytail and then this part is a French braid,” she muttered to herself. “Ted, do you mind if I…” she tailed off, gesturing to undo the hairstyle and Teddy obliged with a nod, his Herbology essay lying forgotten.

It took Teddy morphing the hairstyle and Melanie undoing it three more times before she was ready to attempt it on Sophie’s hair, and then another two tries on Sophie before Melanie threw her hands down with a great sigh.

“It’s no use! I can’t get this part to lie properly, why did you have to pick such a complicated hairstyle Sophie?”

Teddy had been watching the girls, amused, allowing Melanie to inspect his hair whenever she needed to. He’d watched Melanie’s failed attempts with interest.

“I think I can see where you’re going wrong,” he said quietly, standing up behind Sophie. “You need to braid it _under_ first.” He tried to explain what he meant but Melanie didn’t seem to understand his hand gestures and vague wording. “Here, let me try.”

Melanie obliged and Teddy took over, holding the strands of Sophie’s hair and trying to demonstrate what he meant. He weaved them together, trying to imitate the moving picture.

“How did you do that?” Melanie asked, agog. Teddy shrugged. He had no answer. He had no idea how he’d done it, it wasn’t like it was something he spent his spare time doing.

Teddy screwed his face up again so that his own hair returned to its usual blue hue and floppy style.

“It looks gorgeous, Teddy!” Sophie exclaimed, inspecting her hair in the mirror she held in front of her. “Could you maybe-“ she glanced at Melanie, “you can say no, I’m sure you’ll be busy, but would you maybe mind doing it for me again before the Ball?”

“Ooh me too, Teddy!” Melanie added, not seeming in the least bit offended that Sophie had replaced her.

“Sure!” Teddy grinned at them both.

“Thanks, Teddy.” Melanie smiled at him angelically. “Now we can match,” she said, taking hold of Sophie’s hand and gazing at her lovingly. Sophie returned her expression with equal enthusiasm.

It was then that Teddy realised he would be barking up the wrong tree if he asked her to the Yule Ball with him again.

And that was how, a week later, Teddy found himself in the corner of the Hufflepuff common room, hours before the Ball was due to start, in an old Holyhead Harpies t-shirt and his pyjama bottoms, with a queue of Hufflepuff girls (plus Victoire who he had snuck in) all eagerly waiting for him to do their hair.

He still wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, but Teddy was in his element, grinning as each of the girls left him looking overjoyed.

“How did you get so _good_ at this Teddy?” Victoire asked him curiously, sitting beside him and watching him finish, waiting for her own turn.

“I really have no idea, Vic. It’s sort of like sketching, there’s a picture here,” he gestured to the open copy of _Occasion Hair for Witches_ Sophie had left, “and then I just have to recreate it here.” He pointed at the girl’s head. “All done, Ella.”

Ella gave him a glowing smile and kissed him on the cheek before leaving. Teddy blushed.

“ _How_ did you _not_ have a date until yesterday?” Vic asked incredulously, watching Ella walk away. She was the last girl left waiting for Teddy, he checked his watch and realised he'd been at it for nearly three hours without noticing.

“Dunno.” He shrugged. It was true that Teddy had been far too relaxed about this Ball thing, in fact he'd been happy to just show up with his friends and not worry about bringing a date, but then Megan Wood - a Ravenclaw prefect - had hinted heavily that she would like him to ask her after yesterday’s Prefect meeting. She was very nice and Teddy thought she didn't look like she'd be _too_ good at dancing.

“My turn,” Vic said, plopping down in front of him and showing him the picture she'd chosen from the magazine. As he had with the others, Teddy studied it carefully and screwed his face up to match his own hair to the picture. He touched it all over, figuring out how it worked, and then began to recreate it with Vic’s hair, absent mindedly returning his blue locks as he did so.

“How did you do that?” Victoire was looking at him in shock.

Teddy smirked, confused. “You see, Vic, I was born a metamorphmagus which means-”

“Not _that_ you idiot. Just then, when you morphed the picture,” she pointed to the magazine image of the girl with dark, brown hair, “it didn't look like her hair, it looked exactly like _mine_. It didn't work like that with the other girls.”

Teddy stopped, unsure how to answer. “Did it look like yours? All silvery you mean?”

“Yeah, exactly like mine.”

“Maybe because I know you better.” Teddy tried to explain as he braided the top of Vic’s hair, leaving the rest loose in a sheet of silver-blonde down her back.

“Well, better be getting dressed. See you at the ball, Teds. Thankyou so much!” She stood up and pulled him into a friendly hug.

“You're very welcome,” he replied, hugging her back.

“I won't kiss you too if you don't mind,” she grinned, referring to what Ella had done.

“But, Vic, you're _French_ ,” he joked.

She rolled her eyes, “ _half_ French. And I'm still not kissing you. Bye Teddy.”

He watched her leave with a bemused expression on his face before snapping out of it and realising he didn't have long to get himself ready for the Ball.

The Yule Ball was enjoyable; Megan was actually quite good at dancing but she didn't seem to mind Teddy’s own awkward attempts.

Although he was probably biased, Teddy couldn't help but think all of the Hufflepuff girls (and Vic) looked the best out of everyone. He was feeling pretty proud of himself every time he spotted one of the hairstyles he had created.

Max had somehow ended up rekindling his relationship from fifth year, leaving both parties’ dance partners to find solace in each other's arms. Teddy thought the night’s actions _might_ have been influenced by the Firewhiskey Max had snuck in.

Of course, being a Prefect, Teddy did not have _any_ of the Firewhiskey. None at all. He especially didn't have any of the Firewhiskey hidden behind a rose bush with Max and his other friends between dinner and dancing.

* * *

 

Soon enough, the train was pulling into King’s Cross station, a frosty December chill in the air as the students said goodbye to one another, wishing Merry Christmases and promises to write.

Teddy spotted his grandmother waiting with Harry and Victoire’s parents and he dragged his trunk over to them. Grandma engulfed him in a hug and he felt something grip tightly to his trouser leg as he was hugged around the middle from behind.

“Teddy!” The small something exclaimed and Teddy released his grandma to look down and see that it was eight-year-old Albus Potter.

“Hey, Al,” he said, bending down and returning the younger boy’s hug. “Where are the others?” Teddy straightened up and asked Harry, noticing that Al’s siblings were absent, as was Ginny.

“James and Lil are at home dosed up with Pepperup Potion,” Harry explained, hugging Teddy himself and taking his trunk for him. “They're in quarantine under Ginny’s supervision so we don't all get it.”

“Harry and Albus are coming home with us,” Grandma put in, giving Al’s hair a fond pat.

“Can we play in your bedroom, Teddy? Can we _please_?” Al pleaded, taking hold of Teddy’s hand as they started to leave the platform. Vic caught his eye and smiled at their joined hands.

Teddy had once shared with Vic that he couldn't help but be envious of her having siblings and, although he loved his Grandma very much, he sort of wanted to know what it felt like to grow up with brothers and sisters. Victoire had immediately asked what on earth he was talking about, he had two brothers and a sister. Although Teddy himself considered the Potter kids his siblings, to hear somebody else also recognise the bond they shared had warmed his heart.

He grinned at her and squeezed Al’s hand, racing with the young boy to the edge of the platform. “See you at Christmas, Vic!” he called over his shoulder as they parted ways. She waved back with an angelic smile.

Al’s excitement to play with Teddy meant he’d worn himself out by dinner time and by the end of the meal, his head was nodding sleepily onto Teddy’s shoulder, who he'd insisted sitting beside. Teddy instinctively pulled the younger boy onto his lap where he curled up against Teddy’s chest. He noticed Harry watching him with interest.

“Do you want me to take him?” Harry said kindly, clearing the plates away with his wand.

“It's okay, I don't mind at all,” Teddy replied honestly, enjoying the warm feeling that Al trusted him enough to fall asleep on him.

“You're so good with him,” Grandma commented, gazing fondly at the two boys. Teddy felt an unintentional grin take over his face, as always happened whenever anyone paid him a compliment.

“Teddy, have you ever thought about working with children in the future?” Harry asked conversationally as Grandma went to get dessert.

Why was it that every adult always wanted to discuss Teddy’s future career with him?

“I’d not really considered it,” Teddy said quietly, careful not to wake Albus. He pictured himself standing at the front of (for some bizarre reason) James’ muggle classroom, a cluster of children milling around him. “Not all children are like Al though are they?” he added, when the image in his mind shifted and he imagined thirty Freddy Weasleys.

“Just something to bear in mind, I'm sure you've had everyone on at you asking what you want to do with your life.” Harry spoke and Teddy nodded gratefully. “But you're great with kids.”

“Maybe with _your_ kids, Harry.” Teddy shrugged off his praise.

“You're great at a lot of things though, Ted,” Harry continued and Teddy blushed. “You just have to find something where you can use them all.”

“Let me know if you think of something, because I'm clueless,” Teddy replied, a slightly sulky edge to his voice.

“You know I’d give you a place in my office in a heartbeat, but I think you might be too-”

“Soft?” Teddy supplied with a grin, cuddling Albus in a bit closer.

“Not at all, I think you'd be a great Auror if you wanted to be one,” Harry said seriously. “I was going to say stifled. You'd do a brilliant job for us, but I'm not sure my department would suit you. There's less room to be creative and artistic as an Auror, plus I've seen more blood shed than I'd like to admit to Ginny.”

Teddy winced, thinking back to the moment a year previously when Lily’s bleeding paper cut had made Teddy faint in the Potters’ kitchen.

“Everyone keeps asking me what I want to do, and giving me suggestions, and trying to help me decide. But honestly Harry, I don't _know_ what I want to do and it's just making me worry about the whole thing.”

“Teddy, listen to me.” Harry had got up from his seat and come to place an arm comfortingly on Teddy’s back. “You're sixteen, you're young. Nothing will spoil your youth more than thinking you should already have your adulthood figured out. Something will come up and you'll find what you want to do, let me know when you find it. I promise I won't ask you again.”

Teddy thought over Harry’s words as he carried a sleeping Albus upstairs to the spare bedroom. _Nothing will spoil your youth more than thinking you should already have your adulthood figured out._

It was exactly what he didn't know he needed to hear and, as he placed the stirring young boy down on the bed, eased his shoes off and pulled the duvet over his small body, he felt a lot better about the whole thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou for reading! Any predictions? I'd love to hear them! 
> 
> I am super inspired to write this at the moment, the next three chapters are basically written so please let me know if you'd like to see them!
> 
> follow my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) for updates: littlerose13writes


	3. Quills and Jelly Slugs

After the relaxing break of the Christmas holidays, the sixth years were brought back to reality with a bump when the expectations in class increased even more. Teddy rapidly found himself spending more and more time at the library and he even had to forgo one Hogsmeade weekend to work on a particularly difficult Arithmancy assignment.

He continued to flourish in Transfiguration, where his metamorphmagus skills had given him a natural affinity for the subject. He was mastering non-verbal spells in Charms and Defence and Herbology became more and more pleasant as the weather warmed up.

But as spring started to surface, Teddy found himself with more on his plate than ever before. His studies took up more of his time than he'd ever experienced, even during O. last year. Apparation lessons had started for the sixth years and Teddy was determined to pass his test first time. On top of that, he was assisting McGonagall (who still taught N.E.W.T level Transfiguration) by tutoring some of the younger students, taking part in an extra Herbology project and doing all of his Prefect duties.

Sometimes Teddy thought he was working himself too hard when he was awake until midnight most nights. But then he remembered the overwhelming feeling of delight when he'd opened his O.W.Ls and seen the results of his hard work.

Teddy had never considered himself a perfectionist before, it wasn't like he was aiming for Os in every subject or anything. However, as he abruptly woke up fifteen minutes before class started for the third time that week, dashing into his seat at the last minute with his tie missing and having had no breakfast, he started to worry that soon, something would need to give.

On Friday evening, Teddy ate dinner as quickly as possible without disgusting the others around him and dashed off to the library, calculating that he had an hour and a half to work on his Charms homework before he'd need to leave again for Prefect rounds.

He was set up in the library within minutes, staring at the essay title desperately, having no idea how to start his introduction.

_The importance of wand movement in non-verbal charms has been discussed by many_

"Um, excuse me Mr Teddy?" A small voice came from somewhere in the distance and he looked up from his pitiful excuse for an introduction to see a tiny Slytherin first year with blond hair and glasses bigger than his face. The first year Slytherins had, for some reason, taken to calling him 'Mr Teddy' in their lessons together, but it had never happened outside of the classroom before.

"Hello Ryan," he said, reluctantly putting his quill down and resigning to answer whatever the Slytherin's Transfiguration query was.

"Can you help me with this question please?"

It took fifteen of Teddy's precious Charms minutes for Teddy to be sure little Ryan had understood what he was supposed to be writing about and then another five to discourage him from asking Teddy to 'do the thing where you change your face!' with a promise that he'd show him in their next lesson together.

He stared at his essay again, crossing out the terrible introduction and starting again.

_Non-verbal charms rely on the caster to increase the accuracy of their wand movement, to adhere to_

"Teddy?"

He looked up again from his work to see Ella, who was one of the Hufflepuff fifth-year Prefects, approaching him apprehensively.

"Oh, hi." He hoped she didn't want to chat for long so he could get back to his essay.

"I know it's a bit late to be asking you this, but would you maybe be able to switch rounds with me this week? Mine are on Monday."

Teddy thought about his plans for Monday. He was helping the fourth year Transfiguration group but would be finished before rounds started.

"Yeah, sure, I could switch. You know mine are tonight though?"

"I know, I just really _can't_ do rounds with Stebbins again." She said the other Prefect's name with annoyance. "He takes it as an opportunity to ask me out every corridor."

Teddy gave her a sympathetic look. "You should speak to Marnie, ask her to stop scheduling you two together." Marnie was the current Head Girl of Hogwarts and in charge of Prefect rounds.

Ella looked unsure. "Maybe, I don't want to cause her any bother."

"I'll have a word with her if you want." Teddy smiled kindly at Ella.

"If you don't mind! Thankyou Teddy!" She gave him a grateful, glowing smile and left, her place almost immediately taken by Victoire.

"What did she want?" Vic asked curiously.

"To swap rounds with me, I'm on Monday now instead of tonight. Means I have more of a chance of finishing this Charms essay," he said, slightly pointedly as he pulled it towards him again. Victoire did not take the hint and sat down beside him, peering at the essay over his shoulder.

"How are you doing? I feel like we haven't spoken in ages."

"That's because we haven't," he snapped, picking up his quill. His lack of sleep was making him irritable and he immediately felt guilty when he saw Vic's hurt expression.

"Merlin, Teds. You were nice to _Ella_."

"Sorry Vic, I didn't get much sleep last night."

"I guessed as much, or the night before?"

"Do I look like shit?" Teddy certainly felt like it.

She surveyed him for a second. "You're not as blue as usual," she eventually commented. "It's sort of... faded."

Teddy groaned and covered his face with his hands, dragging them down his cheeks until his palms met under his chin.

"I think you might be doing too much," she mused. "What are you doing for you these days?"

"For me? I don't know, Prefect duties, revising, homework, tutoring, Herbology project, trying to keep on top of my class notes."

"You know what I mean, Teds. When was the last time you, I don't know, picked up your guitar? Or sketched something?"

"I couldn't even say." Before she could reprimand him for that, he carried on speaking quickly. "I really need to finish this, Vic."

"No you don't, it's Friday, it can't be due tomorrow." She physically pulled the parchment away from him.

"Yeah well, I'm a Hufflepuff." Teddy replied, pulling it back.

"Oh would you just _stop_ being so self-destructive," she suddenly exploded, forgetting to whisper, and Teddy felt himself flinch away from her. She caught herself and brought the volume of her voice down again. "You haven't been yourself for weeks now, I miss my best friend." She placed a warm hand over what he now realised was his own clenched fist on the table. Teddy stared at it, not recognising himself.

"I'm still your best friend, Vic. I'm just _really_ busy." He relaxed his fist and she gave the top of his hand a squeeze before removing her own. Teddy's hand felt cold without it.

"You're going to burn yourself out, I'm worried about you. Are you even still doing people's hair?"

"Nobody's asked me since the Yule Ball," Teddy admitted, giving nothing away.

"Fine then, I'm asking," Vic replied stubbornly.

"What for? There isn't another ball."

"Not _for_ anything. I just know it made you happy," she retorted, her tone becoming sharper.

Damn her for knowing him so well.

"Please, Teds. Do something for you for a change."

"Okay fine, I'll come and find you in a bit," he replied, to get her off his back more than anything. "When I've finished this paragraph."

"Take your time, I'm not going anywhere." She pulled a random book from a nearby shelf and made a big show of opening it up and hiding her face behind it, staying resolutely at his table. Teddy scowled at her, knowing she had seen right through his attempt to make her leave.

"You are the worst person in the world."

"And your insults need work," she replied lazily, turning a page of her book.

Although Victoire said nothing as he worked on his essay, he could only stand twenty minutes of knowing she was sat there waiting for him before he broke.

"Fine! Bloody fine! Let's go." He slid all of his schoolwork into his bag and rose from the table all in one movement, stalking out of the library as quickly as he could, taking a random left and barely paying attention to where he was walking. He was breathing heavily and could feel his heartbeat in his ears. Vic followed, hurrying to keep up with his longer legs. Teddy noticed she looked a bit frightened, almost like she was scared she'd gone too far and annoyed him too much.

He stopped where he was and took a deep breath in, staring ahead of him down the empty corridor. Had she annoyed him? Yes, she had. But did he have any right to be this angry with her just for trying to help him? Wasn't he, now, taking it out on the only person who seemed to have even noticed how much he'd taken on and how miserable it was making him?

She had stopped when he did, and he turned around to see her looking at him with concerned eyes. Then, without warning, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, reaching up to fully embrace his taller self. Teddy felt himself melt into her, tears filling his eyes, an intense feeling of guilt washing over him as he hugged her back right there in the corridor. "Sorry Vic," he said thickly, "it's not your fault, you were just trying to help and I'm acting like a monster."

She pulled back, her hands placed on his shoulders, and appraised him in what almost felt like a motherly fashion. He didn't feel ashamed of crying in front of her, it was hardly the first time she had seen him cry.

"Right, this is what we're going to do to fix this." She slid to the ground, sitting against the wall and opening her school bag. Teddy stared at her in bewilderment until she tugged at his hand and pulled him down beside her.

"Vic, you really don't have to-"

"I want to," she said shortly, pulling a slip of parchment and a quill out as if she were about to interview him for the Daily Prophet. "Tell me everything you're doing at the moment. We're going to write it down and figure out where you can make some time for yourself."

Teddy was speechless.

"Okay, I'll start it for you shall I?" She sucked on the end of the quill thoughtfully for a second, then put its tip to the parchment.

 _Homework_  
_Revision_  
_Prefect rounds_

She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to give her something else to write. He gently took the quill from her and added to the list while she watched.

 _Homework - five pieces a week_  
_Revision - ongoing_  
_Prefect rounds - one night a week_  
_Classes - four a day_  
_Transfiguration tutoring - three class periods a week, plus one evening_  
_Herbology project - two evenings a week_  
_Prefect meeting - once a fortnight_  
_Apparation classes - every Saturday morning_

He passed it back to her and she grabbed the quill.

 _Sleeping - seven nights a week (I hope)_  
_Eating proper meals - three times a day (unless you continue to sleep through breakfast like I know you've been doing)_  
_Showering - ?_

A small smile played at his lips as he took the quill again.

_Showering - ? every day! What are you trying to say Vic?_

She took over; nobody was speaking.

 _Playing my guitar - never_  
_Sketching - also never_  
_Giving my friends tattoos which makes my Grandma mad - not since fifth year_  
_Doing cool hairstyles for people - seriously Teds, why did you stop doing this?_  
_Just being Teddy - ?_

She looked at him questioningly as she passed the quill back again and he added one more entry to the list.

_Spending time with my best friend Victoire - not often enough_

She beamed at him as he put the quill down. "Okay, point taken."

"But seriously with the shower thing," she teased. Teddy laughed loudly.

"There he is," Vic whispered. "There's the Teddy I know."

"You're a good influence on me," he admitted, leaning back against the wall and gazing down at her, one knee bent and the other leg stuck out in front of him.

"I must be, your hair's back to blue again." She reached up and ruffled it like she used to do when they were kids, leaving a lock falling into his eyes. He went cross eyed staring at it, and blew upwards so it fluttered back into place.

"Thankyou Vic, for cheering me up and making me see some sense," he said, feeling calmer than he had in _weeks._ He got to his feet and offered her a hand, pulling her up to join him. He hugged her and she patted at his back.

"Keep the list, remember what's important. Look after yourself, Teds. Promise?" She pulled away and swung her bag over her shoulder.

"Promise."

"Now, where are we going so you can do my hair?" He rolled his eyes at her determination but nevertheless, went with her to fulfill his promise. And as he was getting back into the rhythm of brushing and braiding and the rest of it, he realised Vic was right. It _did_ make him happy.

* * *

Teddy mulled this thought over in the run up to the Easter holidays without giving it much precedence in his mind. It wasn't until the last day of term, before he was due to go home, that a strange request from Max had him thinking about it again.

"C'mon mate, help a guy out," Max pleaded from across the common room table and Teddy was forcibly reminded of the time last year when his best friend had convinced Teddy to give him a tattoo.

"Why are you asking _me_?" Teddy was confused and Max gave him a look as though it were obvious.

"Because, everyone knows you're the guy who's good at hair. The Yule Ball saw to that! And I could really do without the lecture from my mother if I turn up at my brother's wedding tomorrow looking like this," Max stated, pointing at his hair.

"Yeah but the Yule Ball was different Max! That was just copying a picture, like drawing. I've never cut anyone's hair before, I'll probably mess it up." Teddy went back to the music magazine he was flicking through.

"Ok, so I'll find you a picture to copy," Max said in a bored voice. "It can't be that difficult, my mum uses a charm."

"I don't know the charm," Teddy complained, giving up on the magazine. "I might cut your ear off."

"Do it the muggle way then." Max gave the solution simply with a casual wave of his hand.

"Then I'll _definitely_ cut your ear off!"

"Nah, you won't. You have one of the steadiest hands out of anyone I know." He pulled his sleeve back and gestured to the slightly faded stick-and-poke tattoo still on his forearm. "Please Teddy."

"Fine," Teddy said, his resolve slipping. "But you'll have to find me a picture to copy. And some scissors," he added as an afterthought.

Later that day, Max and Teddy were the only occupants in their dormitory, Max looking contented and relaxed and Teddy uncertain.

"I found you a book and everything, look. Found it in the library." Max handed him a small, old-fashioned looking book titled _The Gentleman Wizard's Guide To Grooming_. "Here's the page, written before the charm was invented."

"Max are you sure you trust me to do this?" Teddy was hesitant now they were all set up with Max sat on a chair in front of him and his best friend actually expecting Teddy to cut his hair.

"Completely, mate," Max said in a lighthearted tone.

Teddy hesitated again. He'd not even been to have his own hair cut for years; Grandma had only needed to take him when he was younger and not as good at morphing his hair if it got too long. (Like the time he was five and managed to make it grow all the way down his back to tease Vic and had to have it chopped off when he couldn't morph it back after three whole days)

"Right. Okay." Teddy looked at the open book again then back at Max's hair. "Okay, step one, wet hair," he read then brandished his wand, eyes still on the page. _"Aguamenti_."

"Argh!" Max exclaimed as a strong jet of water soaked him.

"Sorry, too much, I'm nervous." Teddy looked up at him but Max was already laughing about it. "Step two, split into top, sides and back sections."

"What do you split it with?"

"A comb I assume?" Teddy laughed, summoning one from his trunk. "Step three, establish parting." Teddy laughed at the picture, which showed a man with a side parting so severe, it looked like it had been measured with a ruler. " _When_ was this book published?"

"Didn't look, why?"

"Nothing, just if you come out looking like you've stepped off an evacuation train, remember that you picked this book."

"I will take full responsibility if you balls this up, Ted," Max said loyally. "Although maybe skip the side parting."

With that vote of confidence, Teddy followed the rest of the instructions in the book. It actually wasn't too complicated once he got into a rhythm: comb some hair out, hold it straight between his fingers, cut off the end so it's all the same length.

"Well? Is it alright?" Teddy asked his friend nervously as Max stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"Yeah wicked mate, thanks. Saved me a right earful you have." He clapped Teddy on the back and left to finish packing.

Teddy stood still for a second, grinning to himself and feeling rather pleased.

* * *

Now that it was the summer term, the weather picked up significantly, meaning most of the students were looking forward to the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.

Because Apparition lessons were now over (the tests were yet to happen though), and Professor Longbottom's Herbology project finished with, Teddy found himself with a bit more free time. He was still kept busy with homework, but Vic's list had been a helpful reminder to keep things in perspective. Plus, it had been quite satisfying to cross things off the list when he no longer needed to worry about them.

In the Hufflepuff sixth year dorm that Thursday evening, conversation was revolving mainly around the last Hogsmeade weekend of the year, due to the fact that three of his dorm mates had managed to secure dates.

Teddy wasn't one of them; if anything, he'd been far too busy that term to even contemplate asking someone on a date, but there wasn't really anyone he wanted to ask anyway. Max wasn't going on a date either and they intended to enjoy the weekend like third years.

"Ted, mate," Calum (one of his dorm mates) started, emerging from the bathroom where he'd been brushing his teeth, toothbrush still in hand, "is it true you gave Max a haircut before?"

Teddy looked up from where he sat on Max's bed. "Er, yeah, I did actually."

"You couldn't give me one too could you? It's just, I've _finally_ got Ella to agree to come on this date with me and I sort of want everything to be perfect," he tailed off sheepishly.

"Of course!" Teddy was more than happy to oblige, remembering that warm glow of pride he'd felt last time. "I think I can remember how to do it. Tomorrow?"

"Thanks, mate," Calum replied gratefully, climbing into his bed.

Teddy shared an excited glance with Max who was looking impressed. "I can't believe he _actually_ got a date with Ella at long last," he hissed. They both knew it was something their dorm mate had wanted to happen for most of the year; he didn't shut up about the fifth year Prefect.

Teddy knew how important this was to Calum and he also knew he was capable of ruining things for his dorm mate if he got it wrong.

So Teddy practised.

He woke up early the next morning and holed himself up in the Prefect's bathroom, morphing his own hair to look like Calum's as many times as it took for him to feel confident. He became somewhat of a perfectionist, even writing himself little notes when he noticed things that worked (or didn't work) particularly well. By the time he sprinted into breakfast at the last minute, he was feeling rather excited.

This excitement lasted Teddy through the whole day and resulted in Calum looking pleased and Teddy feeling accomplished as his dorm mate praised and thanked him excessively.

Something quite unexpected brought his mood down again.

Teddy was leaving the Great Hall after dinner, Max by his side, talking about their plans for Hogsmeade the next day. Max wanted to visit the recently opened new branch of _Weasley's Wizard Wheezes_ and Teddy was all too happy to come too.

As they made their way towards the Hufflepuff common room, Teddy noticed Victoire in the distance, outside the entrance. She was talking to another Hufflepuff, who hugged her and went inside the common room, causing Vic to turn the other way and cross paths with Teddy and Max. She was practically skipping and went pink when she saw him.

"Oh, hi Teddy," she grinned, then nodded at his Hufflepuff friend, "Max."

"You look pleased with yourself," he commented, wondering what had put her in such a good mood.

"I'm _very_ pleased with myself." She beamed and played with the ends of her blonde hair, twirling a section around her finger.

"Let me guess, you've already taken your N.E.W.Ts and been accepted into Healer school three years early?" He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and folded his arms with a grin. Max guffawed politely, even though it wasn't that funny.

"Not yet, Teds." She stopped twirling her hair and let her hand fall by her side. "No, I've got a date," she said with an angelic smile.

"Does your dad know?" Teddy teased, cocking an eyebrow.

"No and don't you _dare_ tell him! Or Domi!" She looked stern as she spoke.

"Your secret's safe with me." Teddy mimed zipping his lips shut. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Aaron Davies," she replied and Teddy pictured the fourth year Hufflepuff with ease. He knew nothing about him, other than that he played seeker on the house Quidditch team.

"Well you have fun tomorrow, Vic. Not _too much fun_ though." He winked.

"Teddy!" She hit him on the shoulder, knocking his bag off. He hastened to straighten it as her glare turned into a grin again.

"Why can't her dad know she's dating?" Max asked when Victoire had gone.

"Let's just say, I wouldn't want to have to impress him." Teddy grinned as they entered the common room.

Bill Weasley was the typical over protective father of daughters, much like Harry was towards Lily. (How Harry was going to cope when little Lily grew up and started dating people, Teddy didn't know, but he knew he _definitely_ wanted to be around to see that.) Teddy had grown up around the whole Weasley family, so he knew Bill was about as threatening as a Cornish Pixie, but his fanged earring and scarred complexion would be enough to scare off any potential suitors for Vic he didn't approve of.

They settled themselves in some free armchairs and listened to Calum overthinking every aspect of his date with Ella. Out of the corner of his eye, Teddy spotted Aaron Davies surrounded by a group of friends and felt immediately disconcerted. He was focusing on two conversations at once, only getting snatches of each.

"... but do you think two bunches of flowers is a bit much?"

"... now she's _finally_ agreed to go with me."

"... I bet she's a good kisser..."

Teddy felt a bit like he was listening to the same monologue as Calum prattled away about Ella on one side while snatches of what Davies was saying came from the other.

"... I used a pressing charm on my trousers but..."

"... what if it rains?"

Teddy thought of the loved up mess Calum had been virtually that entire year around Ella and he wondered if Davies had been the same about Vic. The thought made him feel a bit strange, like it was something he didn't want to think about.

"... I mean, after all this time..."

"Do you think she likes jelly slugs?"

He didn't know what made him do it, but something about hearing this strange boy talking like that about Vic, _his best friend_ , was rather unsettling.

"Actually mate, she doesn't eat them. You'd be better off with sugar quills." The bitter, almost angry tone of Teddy's voice took him by surprise as he whipped round and addressed the younger boy.

"Huh?" The fourth year looked confused and a bit nervous, as well he might seeing as he hadn't actually been talking to Teddy.

"Victoire," he said simply and the boy gulped. "She doesn't eat jelly slugs, she's a vegetarian. But then, I'm sure you already knew that." He gave the bewildered boy a tense smile and turned back to his own friends, a churning feeling in his stomach.

Why was he suddenly feeling so protective over Victoire going on a date? It wasn't as if she wasn't old enough or mature enough to make sensible decisions about who to spend time with. She wasn't stupid and didn't often get herself into trouble, he had no reason at all to worry about her going on a date with Davies.

But he _was_ worried.

Or was it worry? Something wasn't sitting right, but he couldn't place his finger on what it was.

Or maybe he could, and he was just willing himself to think of any other possible reason.

Because _no_. He couldn't be?

Teddy came home from Hogsmeade that day with two new tattoos: a moon on the back of his neck which changed phase in line with the real moon, and a paper aeroplane just like Max's on his first finger knuckle. After all, he was seventeen now and _completely_ in control of his decisions.

* * *

This internal dilemma stuck with Teddy for almost the whole summer. It was underlying, only showing itself when Teddy allowed his thoughts to wander there. But when they did, it was agonising, trying to disentangle and then explain all of these new and confusing emotions.

He'd tried to think about it logically, to figure it out by himself, to talk himself out of it and then back into it again. But it was no use, Teddy realised he was going to need to seek some advice before he drove himself mad (and before the traditional end of the summer gathering at The Burrow).

"Harry, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Go ahead," his godfather said in the empty kitchen, from where he was supervising the washing up after dinner - Teddy had deliberately waited until James, Al and Lily were otherwise occupied.

"Okay," Teddy paused, wondering where to begin. He took a plate from Harry's hand and started to dry it with his wand. "You know how, when you were at school, Ron and Hermione were your best friends?"

"I vaguely remember them, yes." Harry grinned.

"Did you ever find yourself feeling, you know, _protective_ of Hermione? Because she was your best friend?" Teddy scrutinised his reaction but he was fairly unresponsive.

"Oh all the time, if I'd had my way, I would have wanted her out of harm's way every time we ended up in a scrape. But, luckily for me, she wasn't going to do that. I definitely wouldn't even be alive if my friends had let me go it alone." Teddy had heard these stories before, but it wasn't really the intention of his question.

"Right, so it's normal to feel protective? It didn't mean you fancied her?" He was willing Harry to pick up on what he was just that bit too embarassed to outright ask.

"Oh it definitely didn't mean that! Hermione's always been like a sister to me, it was the same sort of protectiveness I felt when Ron was in danger." Harry passed Teddy the final plate to dry with his wand.

"Okay, and what about when nobody's in danger?" He dried it and placed it on top of the others in a neat pile. "Like, I don't know, if she went on a date to Hogsmeade with some guy. Is it normal to feel protective then?"

Harry looked confused for a second then his expression cleared. "Hmm, that didn't ever really happen. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Teddy replied, watching Harry put the clean plates back into the cupboard with his wand, now feeling more confused than before.

But it seemed Harry shared this sentiment, because he sought Teddy out later that evening in what was technically the guest room, but was always referred to as Teddy's room at the Potters' house.

"Albus, it's past your bedtime," Harry reprimanded lightly from the doorway. Al looked up guiltily from where Teddy was reading to him emphatically and Teddy grinned sheepishly at his godfather.

"Goodnight, Al," Teddy said, squeezing the younger boy's shoulder and removing his arm from around his shoulders. Albus crawled out from under Teddy's arm and trailed miserably to the door, dragging his feet.

"Mum's in your room," Harry told him, kissing his younger son on the top of the head as he sent him out onto the landing. "Er Ted?"

"Yeah?" Teddy thought for a second that he might be in trouble for keeping Albus up past his bedtime as his godfather approached.

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed. "I have been reliably informed that the advice I gave you earlier was 'the least helpful thing I could have said' and I was wondering if I could give it another go?"

"Sure." Teddy sat up straighter.

"Feeling protective over your friends is completely normal, but sometimes, there might be another feeling involved too." Harry said this somewhat stiffly.

"Okay." Teddy said slowly, wondering if there was more to this.

"So it's important to, er, explore the reason why you're feeling so protective over this particular person."

Teddy gave him a strange look. "I didn't mention a particular person."

Harry grimaced, "No, of course you didn't. Um, you need to be honest with yourself."

"Harry have you _written this down_?" Teddy asked incredulously as he caught sight of a scrap of parchment tucked into Harry's sleeve. Harry quickly hid it from view.

"Absolutely not. Is this helping?" He looked expectant.

"Ginny wrote it down for you didn't she?" Teddy surveyed his godfather.

Harry looked sheepish. "Teddy, I'm crap at girl advice. Or boy advice, wherever this was going."

"Sorry Ted, I did try." Ginny entered the room and joined them on the bed on Teddy's other side.

Teddy felt a blush rise up his neck. "I didn't ask for _girl_ advice, just sort of, normal life advice," he tailed off, his voice a few octaves higher than usual.

Ginny raised her eyebrows at him knowingly. "Okay, normal life advice, you want to know if it's _normal_ to feel protective of your best friend when she goes to Hogsmeade with a boy. And you're not sure it's quite _normal_ to wish it was you taking her to Hogsmeade instead. But mainly you're worried it's not at all _normal_ to be having feelings for someone who, up until now, you only saw as your best friend. Am I at all close?"

"This isn't happening..." Teddy sank down and covered his face with both hands. This was why he'd gone to Harry and not Ginny, Ginny was far too perceptive for her own good.

"Oh!" Harry said in a sudden exclamation. "I get what you were asking now!"

He looked absolutely thrilled with himself and Ginny shook her head at him pityingly. "You must be the most unaware Auror to ever work for the Ministry."

"So what do I do?" He looked at her forlornly, deciding Harry was a lost cause. She smiled at him and put an arm around his shoulders kindly.

"First things first, you need to be really sure these aren't just friendly feelings. I can't tell you the answer to that, you have to figure it out."

Teddy nodded, his brain whirring with thoughts. Were they more than friendly feelings? What was this supposed to feel like? What if he couldn't figure it out?

"Then, if you're sure there is something there, see if you can judge how she might react if you told her. Again, only you know the answer to that. Ultimately though Ted, it comes down to whether or not you think your friendship can survive if things don't go to plan."

"Why is nothing ever simple?" A million new questions and worries had surfaced at her words.

"The best things in life never are," she said, smiling fondly at her husband who beamed back then spoke.

"Just to be clear, we are talking about Victoire aren't we?"

Ginny reached around Teddy and cuffed Harry over the back of the head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou for reading! He's finally starting to notice her aw  
> Shoutout to TimeShifter for your prediction after the last chapter!
> 
> Any thoughts? Predictions? Comments? Feedback is always so helpful and I would love to hear from you if you've read my story :)  
> Chapter 4 is written so I can have it up a bit sooner if you like
> 
> let's be [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) friends: littlerose13writes


	4. Scissors and Shells

"Lily, why is that you won't ever sit that still when I plait your hair?" Ginny surveyed the scene before her with an exasperated expression on her face, a basket of laundry tucked under one arm.

"Tebby doesn't _pull my hair_." Lily muttered, keeping her head still as Teddy carried on with her second plait.

"Can I hire you for school photo day, Ted?" Ginny grinned and placed the laundry basket on the table, taking items out and pressing them with her wand before folding them neatly. Teddy recognised one of his own t-shirts: a black one with a picture of a feather.

"Ginny, you don't have to do my laundry for me," he said, finishing Lily's plait and tieing it off.

"Nonsense. While you're staying here, I'm looking after you." She kissed the top of his head and Teddy smiled while Lily giggled.

Her giggles turned to squeals a second later and she jumped up from the table, dashing to the window to peer out. After a second of peering, she hurtled off again out of the room, yelling as she went.

"JAMES! I think it's here!"

Thundering footsteps could be heard rocketing down the stairs and with the force of a speeding bullet, James skidded into the kitchen, panting slightly.

"Is it here? Where is it? Has it arrived?" His hands were placed either side of the window frame as he too peered out. "Mum, is that it coming?"

Ginny joined her oldest son at the window to look out too while Lily hovered next to Teddy, excitement radiating off her small body. She grabbed onto his arm and squeaked when Ginny pushed the window open far enough to let a tawny owl inside.

"Jamesy's going to Hogwarts like you Tebby!" Lily whispered as Ginny helped James remove the letter and the owl flew away. He came to the table, holding the letter out in front of him as if it were made of pure gold, a reverent look on his face.

"Is it here? Is it really here?" Al's excited voice came from the doorway and he ran to the table immediately to sit down next to James, staring at the unopened envelope in awe. Harry followed at a slower pace, stopping next to Ginny and placing an arm around her.

"Go on then James, open it," he urged his excited son.

James eased the envelope open and removed the parchment inside with shaking hands. He unfolded it and held the letter in front of him, Al leaning over his shoulder to get a better view.

"Dear Mr Pott-"

" _I_ want to read it, Al!" James cut him off and snatched the letter away so his younger brother couldn't see. Al sighed and folded his arms across the table, resting his chin atop them and staring sideways at James.

"Dear Mr Potter, I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." James didn't read any further because he'd jumped up from the table, punched the air and left the letter to float to the ground, where Lily picked it up and placed it back on the table before jumping into Teddy's lap.

James was running a lap of honour around the kitchen while Harry tried to calm him down and Al read the rest of the letter to himself, whispering the words under his breath. The fireplace glowed green, signalling that somebody wanted to Floo in, and Ginny went to see to it.

"You will look after James at Hogwarts," Lily stated, a tone of finality in her voice and a serious expression on her face. "Because he's naughty at school and Mummy says when he's at big school, he has to be all good like you. So you can show him how to be all good."

Teddy was focusing on what Lily was saying, trying not to laugh, and didn't notice that the person who had Flooed in was actually his own grandmother. Ginny handed her a suspiciously-already-made cup of tea and she came over to hug Teddy.

"Grandma! What are you doing here?"

"Here to congratulate young James of course, and to bring you this." She handed him his own Hogwarts letter with a flourish.

"Oh, thanks Grandma, you didn't have to though. It'll only be my book list and we're not going to Diagon for another week." Teddy took it from her, starting to rip the envelope open, Lily's scrabbling hands attempting to help. "Lil, let me," he said, not wanting her to end up with another paper cut.

Grandma shared a knowing smile with Ginny, while Harry continued the unfinished job of pressing and folding the laundry in the basket.

"What? Why are you all watching me open my book list?" Teddy gave the adults a strange look when he noticed they were all waiting for him to open it.

"We're just emotional that it's your last year," Ginny said, wiping an imaginary tear away.

"Okay," Teddy went back to the envelope, removing his book list, which felt much thicker than usual. It was probably filled with several dozen, very difficult N.E.W.T textbooks.

He scanned his eyes down the first page, which contained only a few books and the usual uniform and equipment reminders. He placed it to one side and noticed that the second page was written in a different handwriting to the first.

_Dear Mr Lupin,_

_As you are aware, at the beginning of every academic year, it comes to the Headmistress to select two students from the seventh year who have proven themselves to be exemplary. These students are selected to represent the student body and act as a bridge between the staff and the students of Hogwarts. Academic records are taken into account, as well as general conduct and emerging leadership skills._

_It is with great pleasure that, this year, I would like to award you the position of Head Boy at Hogwarts. I have no doubt your consistent effort and ability to communicate with others will stand you in good stead for this role. I know your classmates have the highest of respect for you, and that you will always act in ways which are fair to all._

_Many congratulations, and I look forward to seeing you on September 1st._

_Professor M McGonagall_

_PS please note, you are required to meet with all prefects in the Prefect carriage on the Hogwarts Express, where you will also be joined by this year's Head Girl, Megan Wood of Ravenclaw_

Teddy's eyes had widened so much as he read the letter, he thought they might be about to pop out of his head. He looked up at the three adults in the room, dazed, to find them all grinning at him with knowledgeable expressions indicating they knew what the letter said.

He shook his head in disbelief, going back to the envelope to check, expecting there to be another letter saying 'only joking!' or some kind of prank from George. Instead, he found a shiny badge, similar to his Prefect badge of the previous two years, except this one was golden, with the Hogwarts crest and the words Head Boy emblazoned across it.

He stared at the badge, his vision blurring until the two words swam before him.

"Tebby, why're you crying?" Lily asked loudly, ensuring the attention of everyone in the kitchen was drawn. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him uncomfortably tightly. "Are you sad?"

"I'm not sad Lily-Lu, I'm very, very _happy_." He tickled her and she giggled, loosening her grip around his neck. Teddy blinked a few times before meeting eyes with the adults. "Did you know?"

"Minerva might have mentioned it," his grandmother winked.

"Can somebody _please_ explain what's going on?" James burst out impatiently.

"Why you crying if you're _happy_?"

"Can I read your letter too please, Teddy?"

At the traditional end of summer gathering at The Burrow, everybody was full of congratulations for Teddy and his Head Boy badge. He still couldn't really believe it, and was half expecting this all to be an elaborate prank.

But when Bill Weasley stood up and made a speech (a _speech_ , about _Teddy_ ), stating matter of factly that Teddy would be the best Head Boy Hogwarts had seen since himself (Percy bristled), Teddy was forced to accept that this was real. Everyone laughed when Bill claimed 'earrings are the making of a good Head Boy'.

"Does this make you my boss then?" Vic said, showing off her own Prefect badge.

Somehow, they'd ended up sitting under the old apple tree together in the shade after the annual family photo had been taken on the bench at the bottom of the garden. She was leaning against the trunk, playing with the hem of her white dress, her bare legs stretched out in front of her while he sat cross legged beside her.

"Yes, so do as you're told," he joked and she giggled.

Teddy watched her close her eyes, relaxing back into the trunk, and was overcome with a desire to touch her, hold her, anything.

After the advice Ginny (not Harry) had given him, he'd had a long, hard think about his feelings and had come to the conclusion that maybe he had a tiny crush on her. But that was it, and it was perfectly normal to have the smallest of crushes on your best friend.

And really, who _wouldn't_ have a crush on Victoire? She was funny, smart, kind, pretty...

It was just a crush though, just a tiny, inconsequential, irrelevant crush. Nothing that was worth risking their friendship over. He certainly wasn't going to _tell her_.

* * *

Being Head Boy was incredibly enjoyable, much more so than being a Prefect. He was still helping with Transfiguration classes, and tutoring some one to one students, but now these were part of his Head Boy duties, he had space on his timetable to prepare for them. Organising the Prefect rounds rota was a task he split easily with Megan, who worked as the perfect compliment to Teddy, because she was so level-headed and _insanely_ organised.

Even classes were more manageable than sixth year, as he had mastered the N.E.W.T basics like non-verbal spells, and homework was more focused around revision rather than the essay based coursework they'd had nearly every week the year before.

Teddy found himself with enough free time to put all the practice he'd done over the summer into place. It wasn't long before everyone knew he was the guy to ask if you wanted a good haircut and, at only a galleon per person, he found his weekends occupied regularly.

Victoire (who he was not thinking about much because that little crush didn't seem to be going away) surprised him at Halloween with a pair of professional hairdressing scissors with his initials engraved into the blade. She told him it was a late 'well done for getting Head Boy' present and he'd hugged her and focused really hard on letting go after an ordinary amount of time.

By Christmas, he was starting to wonder if this could be what he wanted to do with his life. He enjoyed it immensely, getting a real thrill out of knowing he was helping people out and making them feel good about themselves, just like at the Yule Ball the year before, only more permanent.

It was the last day of term, and Teddy was finishing up his final Transfiguration tutoring session of 2015 with his own surrogate little brother (who had found the basics of Transfiguration a bit tricky to begin with).

"You're really getting the hang of it now James!" Teddy said encouragingly to the younger boy. James beamed as he lowered his wand from the shell he had just transfigured.

"You make it make more sense," he stated, admiring his shell with pride before drawing his eyes back to Teddy. "I think I wanna be Head Boy one day too."

"Want to," Teddy corrected automatically (something he'd picked up from Harry), before stopping short and feeling a sudden warmth as he registered what James was saying. "Do you really?"

James nodded, placing his wand back on the library table. "Just like you." He reached for his textbook and his unfinished essay. "So, should I write about that wand pattern thing?"

Teddy eyed James' essay over his shoulder, noticing that it was only a few inches away from being finished. "Write about what we practised, then I think that's your last bit of homework before Christmas!"

James grinned and high-fived Teddy in a way only an eleven-year-old could pull off. "And will you help me keep practising over the holidays? You're coming round, right?"

"Of course I'm coming round, James. When have we ever not spent Christmas together?"

"Thanks, Ted," James said gratefully and Teddy sighed as he watched the young boy scribble away at his essay.

James Sirius Potter had such a reputation at home for being a troublemaker, winding Albus up whenever he could, but it was times like this where his true, sweet nature came through. Teddy knew that, although James didn't miss a chance to tease Al, he would fight fiercely with anyone else who ever tried to do the same thing. It was one of those 'only I can tease my brother' things and Teddy sort of shared it, James and Al were his brothers in every way but name.

Teddy collected up the shells they'd been working on and watched James bent over his work, his messy hair falling into his eyes. After the fifth time James raised a hand to push his fringe back so he could see, Teddy's eyes lit up with his new idea.

"Done," said James, pushing the parchment from him as if he wanted as much distance from the essay as possible. "Can I go back to the common room now? Can you walk me?"

"Sure, we're going to the prefects' bathroom first though," Teddy said as he collected up James' essay and stored it neatly in the younger boy's schoolbag. He quickly scanned the contents of his own bag as he did so, noting that he had everything he needed with him like he usually did. He'd become somewhat attached.

"Why, what are we doing?"

"Your mum's Christmas present." Teddy grinned at him and James looked blank as they stood up to leave the library.

"So, you know how I've got this new hobby?" Teddy spoke as they walked together.

"Oh yeah, the hair thing. I heard some girl talking about you in the Charms corridor this morning, she said you have magic hands. Stupid really in a school for wizards and witches. I mean, don't we all have magic hands here?" James chattered.

"Wait, which girl?" Teddy was distracted.

"Dunno, some girl in Slytherin. I've got no idea who she was," James responded in a bored voice.

Teddy mused on this for a second as they reached the prefects' bathroom, feeling quite proud. Magic hands?

"Anyway, 'the hair thing'," Teddy used James' phrase, "Ginny would be thrilled if you came home looking just as neat and tidy as you did when you left." As he spoke, he eyed his surrogate brother's messy, overgrown hair and wondered why he hadn't thought to do this sooner. "Blossom," he added, the password causing the door to spring open.

James was thrilled by the huge room with its impressive marble interior and went rushing inside as Teddy followed. "Cool! Another reason I want to be Head Boy."

"So, what do you think James? Will you let me cut your hair?" Teddy asked from the doorway, feeling almost nervous for his response. After all, it took a great deal of trust and James was family.

"Sure." James shrugged, inspecting the multitude of taps, not sharing in Teddy's feelings at all. "Will it take long? I haven't finished packing for tomorrow yet," he added with a groan.

"Not long, promise." Teddy grinned, conjuring a chair and gesturing for James to sit on it. James did so obediently while Teddy located his scissors. "Anything in particular in mind?"

James looked baffled and Teddy reckoned he'd probably never been asked how he wanted his hair cut before.

"Hold on." Teddy screwed his face up, focusing on the precise state of James' hair until his own mirrored it exactly. James grinned as Teddy focused again, his hair morphing into a neatly trimmed version of James'. "Something like this?"

James gazed at him in thought then spoke after a pause. "Yeah, like that please."

Teddy smiled and rearranged his hair back to its usual blue, floppy style.

"And you _do_ know what you're doing, don't you? Remember I can't just grow mine back in a second like you," James asked cheekily, with only a hint of scepticism in his voice as Teddy started to comb his hair.

"Why James, got a girl to impress?" Teddy wiggled his eyebrows at the younger boy as he teased him.

"Erh, no." James wrinkled his nose at the word 'girl' as Teddy finished combing his hair out. "You do though," he added, conspiratorially.

Teddy kept his face passive, but his insides were squirming and he felt his face begin to heat up slightly. He forced himself not to think about it as he combed a section of hair from the back of James' head, held it between his fingers and trimmed it neatly.

James seemed to take Teddy's lack of response as an invitation to continue. "I heard you talking to Dad about it. You fancy someone," he said wickedly.

Teddy froze, his hands still in place at the back of James' head. How much had James heard? Surely not everything?

"You shouldn't eavesdrop," he said calmly as he continued to cut James' hair, moving from the back to the side and checking to see it was all even. Inside he felt anything but calm. Did James know who he'd been talking about?"

Not that it mattered because it was just a tiny, inconsequential, irrelevant crushâ€¦ which he still had, months later.

"Is it Megan? The Head Girl from Ravenclaw?" James asked innocently. "I _know_ you went to the Yule Ball with her last year."

Teddy spluttered. "How did you know about that?"

"Mum," James replied simply. "She takes an interest. She says she'll do the same for me when I'm older."

"Of course," Teddy muttered, moving to stand in front of James, really not minding if James went away with the impression he had a crush on Megan. He'd prefer that to his little brother - the least subtle person Teddy knew - finding out who he was _really_ talking to Harry and Ginny about and embarrassing him at The Burrow Christmas.

"So, is it her then?" James pressed, inspecting Teddy's face carefully from his vantage point.

"What it is, James, is none of your business," Teddy responded quietly. "Now, close your eyes."

James eyed him suspiciously, clearly aware Teddy was trying to distract him from the subject. This was really only part of Teddy's motive.

"Or keep them wide open and spend the rest of the day blinking little bits of hair out of them. It's very comfortable," Teddy said sarcastically.

James rolled his eyes but eventually screwed them shut, allowing Teddy to trim his fringe so it no longer fell into his eyes.

"You can open them now, James. I expect it'll be nice to be able to see properly again," Teddy joked, using his hand to ruffle James' hair and push it slightly over to one side. He inspected his hair from all angles to ensure it was even, smoothing it down at the back. Satisfied with his work, he placed both hands on James' shoulders.

"Is it done?" James asked with a grin.

"All finished," Teddy said proudly. "Do you want to see?"

James nodded and Teddy summoned two mirrors to where they were, handing one to James who held it up in front of him. Teddy positioned the other behind James' head at such an angle that the younger boy could see the back of his own head.

"Wicked! Thanks Teddy!" James responded enthusiastically, running a hand through his new, much neater hair style.

"Do you think your mum will like it?" Teddy asked seriously.

"Dunno, probably." James shrugged. "I like it, thankyou." The young boy smiled.

"You're welcome," Teddy responded, clearing away the cut hair with a wave of his wand. "Now, you need to go and pack. Don't forget, you're apparating home with me tomorrow, not going on the train."

"Am I?" James looked confused as the two left the bathroom.

" _Yes_ James. I know for a fact your parents have written to you about it at least twice." Teddy grinned exasperatedly. "Harry's working away when the train gets in and he wants to see you before he has to leave."

"When's he back? Before Christmas Day?" James asked, a sudden desperation in his voice, his footsteps slowing down. Teddy looked at his almost-brother with sad eyes and placed an arm around his shoulders as they walked.

"Should be, you know how these things are." Teddy sighed in time with James. He knew they were both thinking about that one year where Harry's Auror mission had caused him to not arrive home until late evening on Christmas Day. Little Albus (who'd only been about four) fell asleep under the Christmas tree waiting for his dad and Lily had clung to her mother for the whole day, even at The Burrow, while Teddy had dealt with a surly and frustrated James.

"S'not fair. Al and Lily have just had ages with him and then when I come home he has to leave?" James asked in a small voice, Teddy's arm still placed around his shoulders.

"I know," Teddy said sadly. "I know you miss your dad when he's away."

James' head snapped up to look at Teddy very seriously. "Oh! Teddy, I'm sorry. I should have thought ofâ€¦ I know I'm so lucky to _have_ my dad and-"

Teddy cut him off with a squeeze to the shoulder. "Shh James, it's okay. You're allowed to think it's unfair, you're allowed to miss him when he goes away and you're allowed to be sad until he comes back. I'll miss Harry too."

"In a way," James started, as if unsure how to say what he wanted to say, "he's your dad too isn't he?"

Teddy smiled at the young, innocent boy. "In a way, yes."

* * *

"Stand still," Teddy said kindly, as James' expression became dazed as he adjusted to the after effects of side-along apparition. Teddy smoothed James' hair with a hand until it looked as perfect as the day before when Teddy had cut it. "There."

He followed James towards the door of the Potters' house, which swung open immediately, allowing a small, red-haired figure to come hurtling out and directly into Teddy's abdomen.

"Oof!" he reacted to the unexpected blow. "Hey Lils." He stroked her hair and bent down to pick the seven-year-old up.

"Tebby!" she cried happily. Lily was of course old enough to know his proper name, but her nickname had stuck. "I missed you." She grabbed him round the neck and kissed his cheek.

"Missed you too Lily-Lu," he replied, carrying her into the house where James had long since disappeared.

"Did you have a good first term James?" Harry's voice could be heard from the living room as Ginny appeared down the stairs with a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah, amazing!" came James' enthusiastic reply from inside the living room.

Ginny enveloped Teddy into a warm, maternal hug (Lily wrapped up in the middle of it too where she was still sat on Teddy's hip) and kissed his hair. "We missed you," she said and Lily nodded fervently. "Thanks for bringing James home."

Ginny's sincerity coupled with the fact that Teddy had noticed she was yet to enter the living room to greet her actual son made his heart swell with the warmth which only came when he was reminded of how much the Potters seemed to love him. "I missed you all too." Teddy didn't feel this adequately explained how grateful he was to have them.

Ginny gave his shoulder a squeeze like she understood and entered the living room first.

"Where's my Jamesy?" she asked aloud as she entered, pulling him immediately into a hug and then paused as she stroked his hair. "James, have you had your hair cut? It looks far neater than when Grandma Molly did it in the summer."

Teddy stood in the doorway grinning, Lily still sat on his hip. "Merry Christmas."

Harry looked up from where he was sorting through James' abandoned trunk and came across the room to the doorway to greet Teddy. "You took James for a haircut on the way home from Hogwarts?" Harry asked, confusedly looking at Teddy's knowing expression, feeling he was missing something.

"No Dad!" James sighed from his mother's arms, as though it were obvious. "Teddy _did_ the haircut. He does everyone's!"

Harry and Ginny both stared at Teddy, completely bowled over. Ginny looked from him to James as if processing this information.

"It's sort of a hobby of mine." Teddy shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. Was this going to be like the tattoo incident of his fifth year again when he'd thought he was just helping someone out and he ended up in trouble and letting everyone down? "Sorry," he said in a small voice, putting Lily down, who immediately ran to her father.

"Sorry?" Ginny was beside him swiftly. "Teddy dear, you have nothing to be sorry for! This is wonderful, how did you even achieve this?" she gestured to her son's hair, admiring it from all angles. Teddy was pretty proud of it, James' usual messy locks neat and tidy for once. James looked uncomfortably at the floor as everyone gawped at him.

"Practice makes perfect?" Teddy offered and Harry laughed, settling onto the sofa with his daughter. "It's sort of become a thing at school. James is right, I do everyone's."

"Will you do Al's too?" Ginny pleaded, stroking James' hair again even though he was wriggling to get away from his mother's grasp. "Merlin knows he needs a good haircut." She threw Harry an accusing look, as if it was all his fault. Harry picked up on the look and grinned.

"Why do you think I grew mine so long?" he said, Lily sitting on his lap watching the scene around her, a thumb in her mouth and the other hand playing with Harry's dark knot of hair.

Teddy smiled and sank onto the sofa beside Harry. "Sure, I'd love to."

"James, go and get your brother to come downstairs please. But _don't tell him why_ ," she added desperately as he sprinted off. "Just say Teddy's here!"

Teddy gave Ginny a questioning look. "Al hates having his hair cut and I'm not in the mood to crawl under the bed to retrieve him when he hides," she explained and Teddy blanched.

"Oh." Teddy stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Maybe it's best if I don't..." he trailed off.

"No please do! He'll be fine once he stops crying," Ginny said casually.

Crying? Teddy really didn't want Al to associate him with something that made him cry.

"You've done this quite a few times you say?" Ginny continued, unaware of Teddy's internal battle.

Teddy nodded. "But... I've never made anyone cry before," he said nervously.

"Al adores you, Ted. He'll forgive you," said Harry with a grin. "And Gin's right, he _really_ needs a haircut."

"We were going to take them both to Diagon Alley before Christmas to get it done," Ginny explained with a sigh, taking her husband's hand absent-mindedly.

"So, is this just a hobby Ted?" Harry enquired, Lily was starting to nod off in his lap. "Or something you're thinking of doing after Hogwarts?"

"I don't know. I suppose just a hobby, I can't make a career out of it," Teddy replied.

"Why not? If anyone can tame the Potter hair, they should be doing this professionally," Ginny said, ruffling Teddy's own navy blue strands.

"Everyone expects me to get a proper job though, in the Ministry or something," Teddy sighed, that same niggling feeling of uncertainty returning. "My mum was an Auror!"

"So? You're your own person," Harry said kindly, placing a hand on Teddy's shoulder.

"Hairdressing is a proper job Teddy!" Ginny put in. "Where would any of those top Ministry people be if they went round looking like scruff bags all the time?"

"Head of the Auror Office," Teddy said cheekily, throwing Harry a look.

"Hey!" Harry said offended, stroking his beard with one hand. "Less of that thankyou."

"Do you know who you should speak to about this?" Ginny continued.

"Grandma," Teddy answered glumly, knowing that it was highly unlikely his grandmother would approve of this career choice.

"No. Uncle George," Ginny said simply and Harry nodded in understanding. "He didn't care much for the traditional career routes either, followed his dream instead and did exactly what he wanted to do with his life. And look at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes now! Have a word with him, he'll understand how you feel. Although, whatever he says about his seventh year, you should stay at Hogwarts and finish your N.E.W.Ts," she added with a grin.

The door creaked open again and James' head appeared. "Al's hiding under his bed," he stated and Ginny sighed in agitation and went to leave the room.

"I'll go!" Teddy said immediately, jumping to the doorway before her. If poor Al was this upset then Teddy wanted to at least try and comfort him.

He padded up the familiar stairs and across the landing to Al's room, pushing the door open slowly so as not to startle the nine-year-old. He strode across the room towards the bed and flattened himself completely against the floor, his head turned to look under the bed. A small figure was hunched up in the corner, breathing heavily.

"Hey Al," Teddy said, as if this were a perfectly normal setting to be having a conversation.

"Teddy!" Al's face lit up and he moved slightly towards the light. "James didn't say you were here!"

"What _did_ James say to you?" It sounded as though James had managed to ignore both of his mother's instructions.

"He said I have to come downstairs to get my hair cut." Al sniffed and moved slowly towards Teddy. "But I don't _want_ to get my hair cut. Can you hide up here with me?"

"Okay," Teddy said, shifting himself so he was under the bed too with the small boy. "Why don't you want to get your hair cut?"

"Because Grandma Molly hurts my head with the comb and she always tells me off for not sitting still enough and she gets hair all on my neck and it tickles and she _always_ cuts it too short," he complained.

"That's a real pickle you're in there, Al," Teddy said, pretending to be deadly serious.

"It's alright for _you_ Teddy. You can just morph your hair! You never have to get your hair cut." Al sniffed again.

"How about this then, instead of Grandma Molly, or anybody else, how about _I_ cut your hair?" Teddy asked and Al looked shocked.

"You?"

"Me. I promise I won't hurt your head with the comb, or tell you off for not sitting still and we can cast an Impervious charm so your neck repels the hair. And I promise I won't cut it too short."

Al appeared thrilled at this prospect for a second but then he gave Teddy a sceptical look. "Mum wouldn't let you, you don't know how."

"As a matter of fact, I _do_ know how. I've had quite a bit of practice," Teddy explained. "And your mum _asked_ me to do it. That's why James came up here to get you, Grandma Molly isn't even here."

"Really?" Al was wide eyed and looking overjoyed. He scooted out from under the bed and Teddy joined him, the bedroom now seeming too bright after the dark underside of Al's bed. As he straightened up, Albus threw himself at Teddy, giving him a rather violent hug. Teddy ruffled his extremely messy hair with one hand, _Ginny wasn't kidding_.

"Come on then." Teddy took Al's hand and lead him from the room.

Harry had taken a sleeping Lily to her bedroom and was now upstairs, helping James sort through and unpack his trunk. The living room now only contained Ginny, Teddy and Albus, who was looking more and more nervous by the second and was clinging to his mother.

"Can you do it like James'?" Ginny asked, stroking her younger son's hair soothingly, then she bent down so she was level with him. "Teddy's _really_ good at giving haircuts," she added in a stage whisper and Teddy blushed.

"Would you like that, Al? The same as James?" Teddy asked kindly. It was common knowledge that Albus was yet to grow out of idolising his older brother but Teddy wasn't sure how true this still was since James had left for Hogwarts.

"Um, yes," Al replied in a small voice and Ginny looked concerned as she stood back up.

"How about I make you a hot chocolate, Al?" The young boy's eyes lit up at the mention of his favourite treat as she carefully extracted him from around her middle. "Teddy, do you want one too?"

"Yes please. You know I never turn down a Potter special hot chocolate." Teddy grinned as she left the room with a knowing smile. "Okay, sit down here in front of me then, Al."

Albus walked like he was approaching a wild dragon and Teddy saw his lip tremble as he sat down. His heart broke for the small boy and he instinctively moved to engulf him in a hug. Al clung to him, breathing heavily, sounding on the verge of tears.

"Don't cry, Al. It's only me, only Teddy. I won't hurt you, you can trust me." He spoke soothingly into his surrogate brother's ear as he cuddled him close. Al's breathing evened out and Teddy risked pulling away. There was a tiny smile on the young boy's otherwise nervous face.

"Okay, Teddy. I do trust you," he said, sounding more mature than his age in that moment.

"I'll keep my promises too," Teddy said, casting an impervious charm over Al's neck and shoulders. "I'll be ever so gentle, you won't even know I'm doing anything back here."

Albus giggled and swung his feet back and forth and Teddy, true to his word, wet his hair with his wand and combed it so gently it took almost ten minutes to get through it all. Ginny returned quietly during that time, placing a mug of hot chocolate into a contented Al's hands and a second mug on the coffee table. She observed that her son seemed happy and then hid her face behind a Quidditch magazine when Al noticed her watching him.

Teddy knew why Ginny was watching Albus so closely, it had nothing to do with his hair and it was no coincidence that Harry was upstairs with James and Lily. Ginny and Harry had shared their concerns in the past that Albus wasn't as confident as his brother, although Teddy had assured them it was more likely James who was abnormally sure of himself than anything else. They worried how he would cope when he went to Hogwarts and were always looking for ways to boost his self-confidence.

Teddy was sure they had nothing to worry about, Albus was just a quiet kid after the whirlwind that had been James. But Al was also a kind kid, the first to include others and share his toys, and he was the most affectionate out of the three Potter children but in the least obvious way. Teddy secretly hoped Al would buck the Potter trend and get sorted into Hufflepuff.

Al's hair was combed out and wilder than ever as the young boy happily sipped his hot chocolate, offering Teddy one of the marshmallows from the top. Teddy allowed him to place the marshmallow between his lips as he thought about where to start, his hands both taken up with his comb and scissors. It was safe to say Al's hair was even wilder than James' had been, but Teddy wasn't one to shy away from a challenge.

As he made a start, he noticed Ginny watching him over her magazine. Albus gave into the tiniest wince as he made the first cut but then he visibly started to relax, his shoulders less tense. Teddy gave Ginny a shy smile and continued trimming Al's dark hair.

Teddy learnt quickly that there was no use fighting against the wayward nature of Al's hair and, instead, he made the haircut work with his hair, noting the direction each piece insisted on falling in before cutting it at the right length. It was the strangest thing, because Teddy had never been formally taught by anybody how to do what he was doing, but it seemed to make sense to him.

Albus, meanwhile, had completely relaxed and was chattering away happily about the flying lesson Harry had given him at the weekend and the broomstick he desperately wanted for Christmas and something called the 'nativity' at his muggle primary school, which turned out to be a type of show in which Albus had played a character named 'Inn Keeper 2'. Albus thought it was the funniest thing in the world when Teddy thought this had something to do with Quidditch.

" _No_ , Teddy, not _that_ kind of Keeper." He sighed and Teddy tried to work out where he had misunderstood as he finished trimming Al's fringe, sweeping it to one side as he had done for James.

Pleased he had finished, Teddy allowed Al to help him vanish the cut hair away by placing the small boy's hand over his own around his wand and telling him the incantation. Teddy completed it non-verbally so Al would think it was all him. His little almost-brother's broad grin was a delightful contrast to the trembling lip of before.

"I'm amazed Teddy. He looks so cute!" Ginny stared at her younger son with his new haircut. She was right, Albus looked absolutely adorable, his green eyes glowing. "And he didn't cry once." She whispered the second part in Teddy's ear so Al wouldn't hear. Teddy grinned proudly. "Do you like it, Al?"

Albus nodded with enthusiasm. "I want Teddy to cut my hair again next time please, Mum."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So anyone who has read Little Girl will now know which part it was that inspired this whole fic! I’m still not even really sure where this idea came from, I wrote that scene of Little Girl and was just like ‘yes, this is totally what Teddy does ok how did this come about I need to write it’   
> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of this chapter :)  
> Shoutout to Georgia the Slytherin for your lovely comments, they made my day!
> 
> follow my [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) for updates: littlerose13writes


	5. Boxes and Portkeys

_Teddy,_

_Ginny mentioned you wanted to talk to me about something? Very much hoping this isn’t because Harry never gave you the talk… although I get why you’d ask me and not Bill!_

_Anyway, stop by anytime the next weekend you’re in Hogsmeade. I’ll make sure I’m up there that day and have Ron stay in London._

_George_

The letter was just another amazing reminder to Teddy of how lucky he was to have been raised with the Weasleys (and Potters) around him. Strangers often gave him sympathy for being an orphan, and his grandmother being his only family, but Teddy had a family in the Weasleys, who had always treated him as one of their own. 

But what did George mean by _although I get why you’d ask me and not Bill?_ He knew he could trust Ginny not to tell anyone about their conversation because she’d promised him she wouldn’t. What did George know? Or think he knew?

He grinned at the rest of George’s words, reminiscing on the time when he was fourteen and Harry _had_ given him the talk through lots of awkward stuttering and vague hand gestures, possibly forgetting that Teddy had lived in a dormitory full of boys for four years. He’d been worried Teddy was too young and would never be innocent again and Teddy had let him think it was all brand new information.

Despite Harry’s advice, Teddy had never had a relationship before, only a handful of dates and a few longer term snogging partners. But even then, he’d never gone any further than some upper body fondling. 

He knew some of the boys in his dorm had already had sex, Max included, but he really saw no reason rushing into something just for the sake of being able to tell his mates he’d done it. Not when it involved another human being with feelings. 

At the start of his sixth year, he thought it would probably happen that year. Halfway through sixth year, he thought seventh year would be the right time and he’d find someone he wanted to go all the way with. Then he started getting all these confusing feelings for Vic which had so far taken up all of his seventh year and didn’t look set to disappear any time soon.

He’d had another conversation with Ginny in the holidays, this time bypassing Harry completely, and had confessed to her that he thought he might have a crush on Victoire. She reassured him that there was nothing wrong with having a crush on her but told him that needed to be a bit careful because she was his best friend and she was younger than him. 

Teddy took that to mean he should get over it because she wouldn’t like him back in that way. 

So it didn’t look like seventh year would be his year either. Vic was fifteen, two years younger than him, and if they ever _did_ become more than friends ( _yeah, keep dreaming Teds_ ) he would _never_ pressure her into doing anything she wasn’t ready to do. And he couldn’t imagine liking anybody else for now. 

“Who’s that from?” 

Teddy jumped at her bright, cheery voice and positioned his face carefully into a casual, passive expression as she sat down beside him. Her long, silver-blonde hair was in a top knot today and it bobbed around as she smiled at him. 

“George,” Teddy said, tucking it inside his Arithmancy textbook in case she wanted to read it. He didn’t want her to ask any questions about George’s comment. “Ginny said I should speak to him about stuff, I’m going to head down next Hogsmeade weekend.” 

“What stuff?” she asked curiously, seeming genuinely interested. 

“I’m a seventh year Vic, I’m meant to already know what I want to do with my life, and it’s getting closer to the end of the year.” Teddy bit his lip. “I don’t want to work at the Ministry, or Gringotts or anywhere like that, a bit like George.” 

“You’re going for it then, the hairdressing thing? Because you know I’ve always thought you should.” 

Teddy nodded shyly. “It’s not that straightforward though is it?” 

“I’ve just had an idea!” She pulled her bag up to the bench beside her and delved in to retrieve some parchment and a quill.

“Are you going to write me another list?” Teddy smiled at the memory. 

“I need to write to Maman first. When are you going to see George?” She started scribbling away at the parchment but Teddy couldn’t decipher what she was writing because it was all in French and Teddy only knew the basics of the language. 

“Er, Hogsmeade’s next weekend isn’t it? So then.” 

“Okay, I’m coming with you.” She looked up from her writing for a second. “If that’s okay? Do you have any other plans?” 

Teddy was speechless for a second. Victoire wanted to come to Hogsmeade with him? 

“No, I don’t have plans. Of course you can come.” 

She smiled widely, her long eyelashes fluttering. “Great. Okay let me finish this,” she said, going back to scribbling away in French. 

Teddy bemusedly returned to his breakfast, trying to ignore the swooping sensation inside his chest that her glowing smile had given him. He hid his face behind a goblet of pumpkin juice, allowing himself a quick smirk. 

She wanted to come to Hogsmeade with him. She wanted to spend time with him outside of the castle, even if it was just while he spoke to George about his career. That had to mean something, didn’t it? 

He had never been to Hogsmeade on his own with Vic before. They normally went with friends from their own years or, a few times, with a date. Of course they’d seen each other in the village before, it was hard to go a whole Hogsmeade trip without seeing everyone you knew out and about, but they’d never arrived together before.

Teddy suddenly realised it might look like they were on a date (which they definitely weren’t). To an uninformed eye, two people on a Hogsmeade trip alone would cause people to make assumptions, especially if those two people were a boy and a girl (the Hogwarts gossip mill was stuck in the dark ages when it came to relationships).

He wondered what would happen if there was a rumour going round that he was taking Vic to Hogsmeade on a date. He imagined Davies’ face and privately thought that maybe he wouldn’t address that particular rumour. 

“Teds? Are you in there?” 

“Huh?” Teddy snapped out of his reverie when he realised Vic had finished her letter and was talking to him. He grinned at her apologetically.

“I said, do you want to come up to the owlery with me to send this?” There was that glowing smile again.

Had she always smiled at him like that? Surely he would have noticed it before?

“Oh. Sure, are you going now?” He was still holding his pumpkin juice.

Victoire glanced at her watch. “I want her to read it in time to reply by the end of the week, and it’s not long until class.”

Teddy drained the rest of the juice from his goblet and picked up his school bag, swinging it over his shoulder while Vic did the same thing. They exited the Great Hall together, she walked slightly ahead of him and her top knot bounced around behind her. Teddy caught himself staring at it and quickly stopped.

It was only a short walk to the owlery, which Teddy was grateful for because a small part of his brain had decided it would be a fantastic idea to imagine what it would be like to hold Vic’s hand as they walked up this corridor. He pictured their clasped hands, her fitting snugly against him, wrapping his arm around her, kissing the top of her head as they walked. 

“You okay, Teds? I’ve never known you so quiet.” Victoire asked in amused concern, the letter to her mother swinging from her hand.

“Yeah, yeah completely okay. Don’t mind me, I’m miles away this morning.” He grinned at her, reminding himself she was his best friend and was way out of his league anyway. 

“You’re not having trouble sleeping again are you?” She stopped in the owlery doorway and appraised him, straightening his collar out with both hands, brushing the tips of his hair as she did so and running her hands lovingly over his shoulders. Teddy felt like he was being very mildly electrocuted at her touch. 

After a pause that was too long, Teddy managed to answer her question. “No trouble! I’ve been doing lots of sleeping lately.”

 _I’ve_ _been_ _doing_ _lots_ _of_ _sleeping_ _lately_. What the bloody hell did he say that for? What did that even mean? 

He laughed nervously to cover his awkwardness but Vic didn’t seem to notice as she turned away from him to coax her owl down from its perch. Quinn soared neatly around the roof of the owlery before landing on Vic’s outstretched arm. “Take this to Maman,” she told the owl, tying the letter to her leg and sending her off. 

“Are you going to tell me what it said?” Teddy asked her with a smirk because he knew she was unlikely to.

“Nope,” she flicked one of her plaits over her shoulder and made to leave the room. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, I’ll tell you when she replies.” 

“Well now I’m intrigued,” Teddy said eagerly. “Has it got something to do with-”

“Just wait and see,” Vic smiled mysteriously. 

* * *

Teddy didn’t have to wait long to find out what Victoire had written to her mother about. She sought him out at breakfast a few days later, hurrying over from the Ravenclaw table with that same glowing smile that made Teddy’s heart perform backflips.

“From Maman.” She handed him a small slip of parchment and turning it over, he noticed it was an address.

_Pierre Gentille_  
La Perfection de Pierre  
234 Rue de l’Estrapade  
5me Arr  
Paris  
France 

“This is great Vic, but what is it?” He turned the parchment over in case there was an explanation on the other side but it was blank. 

“This, Teds, is the key to your future. He’s a genius, Pierre. He works in wizarding Paris and Maman swears by him, she won’t go anywhere else. She used to take me and Domi when we were little too.” Her eyes were shining with excitement. “I thought you could write to him for advice, but Maman has told me something even better.”

She was waving the accompanying letter (still in French) looking like she was about to burst. 

“He’s looking for an apprentice!” she exclaimed, smacking the letter flat down on the table. 

“An apprentice? You don’t think… _I_ could do that, do you?” 

“Wow Teds, what a genius idea. Why didn’t I think of that?” She rolled her eyes sarcastically. “You should write to him and apply.”

Teddy frowned. “I don’t know, Vic.”

She raised her eyebrows. “No, no self-doubt rubbish, Teds. This is perfect for you!” She lightly touched his forearm where it rested on the table top. “Imagine being Pierre’s apprentice. He would teach you everything he knows, and he knows a lot. Please go for it, Teddy.”

Teddy was finding it very difficult to concentrate on what she was saying with her hand so close to his. He wondered how she would react if he just reached out those few inches and held it, right here at the breakfast table. 

Probably uncomfortable laughter as she swiftly removed her hand, left the table and avoided him for the rest of the year. 

“I’ll think about it,” he managed to stutter out in response. 

“Excellent,” she grinned. 

“Do you still want to come to Hogsmeade with me?” The words _with_ _me_ came out as if he has a bad cold and was struggling to pronounce them. Teddy didn’t know what made him say it, but suddenly it was exceedingly important that he knew. 

“Oh yes,” she replied casually. “I have to make sure you don’t let Uncle George talk you out of it. I hear he’s a strong advocate for ministry office positions.” 

They shared a laugh at this idea, and as Teddy caught her eye, he realised that this wasn’t really a real reason for her to need to come with him. 

* * *

Hogsmeade arrived quickly and Teddy awoke early, feeling more nervous than he really had any right to be. 

_You’re_ _going_ _to_ _Hogsmeade_ _with_ _your_ _best_ _friend_ , _that’s_ _it_. 

The only reference point Teddy had for these kind of nerves was the Yule Ball last year, and that was nothing like how he was feeling today. It was ridiculous that something which wasn’t even a date could make him feel more nervous than an actual, real date.

But it was Victoire, and really the time had passed to pretend to himself that this small crush on his best friend might just fade away of it’s own accord. 

He showered quickly, and chose an outfit carefully, settling for black jeans and a grey jumper which wouldn’t clash with his yellow Hufflepuff scarf. It was typical freezing January weather, and there were a few light flakes of snow fluttering past the window. 

They’d arranged to meet at breakfast, Teddy’s suggestion when he considered the alternative of meeting in the Entrance Hall where couples going on dates tended to meet. He spotted her almost instantly, and she was watching the door; she waved him over when she saw him. 

Teddy tried not to think about how pretty she looked, her silver-blonde hair loose and cascading over her shoulders, a navy blue bobble hat covering the top of her head, her blue eyes sparkling. 

“Morning,” she said, pouring coffee into a mug and pushing it towards him. He accepted it gratefully and smiled at her. “It’s meant to snow later.” She pointed to her hat. 

“I brought mine too,” Teddy replied, holding his arm up to show her where his black hat and yellow striped scarf lay over his cloak. 

“Excellent, I love snow.” Her blue eyes shone with genuine adoration; Teddy couldn’t help thinking she looked adorable. “It’s only ever snowed at home twice, but the beach is the most beautiful sight when it does.”

She gazed off into the distance wistfully, presumably picturing the snow-covered beach. 

“I was there one time, remember?” He vividly remembered playing in the snow on the beach with her when he was about eight. They’d worked together to build the biggest snowman they could for four-year-old Domi and Teddy had taken his gloves off so the snowman could have hands and ended up with frostbite on his fingertips. 

“You were! Christmas, with the snowman.” She beamed at him and he sipped coffee to distract himself. 

“Do you miss the beach when you’re here?” he asked after a pause. 

She sighed. “Sometimes, I love it down there. I think, when I have kids, I want to bring them up by the sea.” 

“Trust you to have already organised where you’re going to bring your kids up.” Teddy laughed and she joined him. 

The journey into Hogsmeade took longer than usual, due to the rapidly growing amount of snow under foot. Teddy wrapped his cloak tighter around him and looked over at Victoire, who had done the same but was shivering. 

“Are you cold?” he asked and she nodded. “Do you want my cloak?”

She looked at him with a very strange expression, somewhere between disbelief and confusion. Had that been the wrong thing to suggest? She’d worn his cloak in the past, before he’d developed feelings for her, so he wasn’t giving anything away. 

“Don’t be silly, then you’ll be cold,” she looked away from him, her teeth chattering. 

“I don’t mind,” Teddy said honestly, realising he was being truthful and he’d gladly freeze for her. 

“No, Teds. Keep your cloak on,” she insisted.

“Fine. Can I at least do this?” 

He retrieved his wand and cast a quick warming charm over her, hoping he had done it correctly. She quivered as the charm’s sensation washed over her. 

“Okay Mr I-Came-Of-Age-Last-Year _,_ ” she pretended to roll her eyes, eyeing his wand as he put it away. “Thankyou, Teddy.” 

“That’s _Mr I-Came_ - _Of-Age-Last-Year_ to you,” he grinned and then faltered when she responded by looping her arm through his gratefully. He wasn’t sure how to respond, and kept walking with her attached to his side. He tried to imagine how he would have reacted before he started having these feelings for his best friend, and he thought this wouldn’t have been too weird then, so he didn’t need to act like it was weird now. 

_Weasley’s_ _Wizard_ _Wheezes_ wasn’t yet packed and overflowing with students, but it was still fairly busy and George looked a bit harassed when they entered. He was carrying a large armful of boxes and he beamed when he saw them, setting the boxes down on the counter.

“Ron’s designed his own way of organising the stock room, I can’t make any bloody sense of it.” He sighed as he steadied the pile of boxes and turned to them. 

“Hi George, is this a bad time?” Teddy asked uncertainly.

“No, this is a great time. I see you brought company.” He smiled and offered his niece a hug. “You must be freezing,” he said as he released her. 

“I’m okay,” Vic said, smiling over at Teddy in a way which made his stomach swoop pleasantly. 

George lead them out the back of the shop, into Ron’s organised stockroom. He pulled up two large boxes and gestured for them to sit down. 

“What’s up?” He turned over a third large box and sat on top of it, his hands clasped between his knees.

“Okay, well the thing is, I’m a seventh year now.”

George held a hand up to stop him and brought the other to his chest in a dramatic clasp, looking away from the two of them. 

“Thankyou, thankyou, Teddy Lupin, for coming here to tell me that you are, in fact, a seventh year. I really do appreciate such kindness.” 

Victoire giggled and Teddy snorted at George’s behaviour. 

“I’ll get to the point,” Teddy said with a grin. “Next year, I don’t want to work at the Ministry, or Gringotts or anywhere like that.”

George nodded in understanding. “Say no more, say no more. Of course you can come and work for me.”

Teddy hesitated and Victoire giggled again. 

“Uncle George, let him finish,” she shook her head. 

George looked between the two of them. “That’s _not_ what you wanted to ask me?” 

“Well, no. I don’t want to work at any of those places, but I feel as if everyone expects me to. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” 

“I understand, I remember that feeling all too well.” He gazed into the distance wistfully for just a second. “What you have to remember, is the people offering you that sort of advice aren’t the ones who are going to have to live with it. Nothing will make you more miserable than living your life to please others, and different people have different ideas of what happy looks like. 

“For some people, like my brother Percy, an office based ministry career was his idea of bliss. Bossing people around and signing important documents all day.” George made a face. “That would personally crush my soul.”

“Mine too,” Teddy nodded in agreement. 

“Tell George what you _do_ want to do,” Victoire urged. 

“I can guess,” George smiled and Teddy gave him a questioning look. “Ginny brought Al into Diagon Alley a few weeks ago. He showed me his new haircut.”

Teddy smiled. “That’s what I want to do.” 

“And get this, George! Maman’s friend Pierre in Paris is looking for an apprentice next year,” she said enthusiastically. “Isn’t that just perfect for Teddy?”

“That does sound pretty perfect,” George mused. “Is that what you want to do, Ted?” 

Teddy shrugged. “I don’t know if I’m good enough.” 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the whole point of an apprentice that you’re learning how to be good at something from someone who is already good at it?” George sat back on his box chair. 

“That’s what I said,” Victoire nodded. 

“Think of it this way, Ted. Either you graduate in the summer and say ‘hey grandma, I know what I want to do but I don’t have a plan so I’m just going to go and figure out how to do that now, bye’. Or you graduate and say ‘hey grandma, I have an apprenticeship doing something I want to do’. Which one is going to go down better?”

“The second one,” Teddy mumbled. 

“Back in the early days of _Wheezes_ , Mum didn’t take us seriously at all. It wasn’t until we had a solid plan in place that she appreciated that we were doing what made us happy. I think your grandma is a bit more forgiving than my mother anyway, but do you see my point?”

“I get what you mean. There’s no way he’ll pick me for the apprenticeship though is there?” The more Teddy thought about it, the more he realised how much he would love to do the apprenticeship. 

“You won’t know if you don’t try,” George smiled.

With Vic’s help, Teddy composed a letter to Pierre, introducing himself and explaining why he was interested in learning from him. He almost backed out of sending it but Vic grabbed her owl from him and threw it out of the window before he could stop her. 

A few days later, Teddy received a reply. 

_Bonjour Teddy,_

_Thank you for writing to me! It was most surprising to receive an applicant from Hogwarts but a pleasant one nonetheless._

_I would very much like to meet with you to discuss this in person. From what you have told me in your letter, I am keen to hear more about what you have been doing. I haven’t taken an apprentice in many years and I feel it’s important I choose the right person for this role, which I’m sure you understand._

_I invite you to come and visit me here at my shop, where I can show you around properly. Please contact me to arrange a date around your final exam studies, which I’m sure are keeping you busy._

_Yours in good faith,  
P.Gentille_

He spent most of Sunday afternoon writing to his grandmother and telling her what he was planning to do. He thought that perhaps George had spoken to Ginny, who had spoken to his grandma when her reply was simply a large box of biscuits with a note wishing him good luck.

The night before he was due to travel to Paris by portkey, he was in the Ravenclaw common room with Victoire. They had somehow ended up spending every night that week in one of their common rooms, just hanging out and talking until late. 

“Help me out, Vic. Which one? _This_ ,” he pointed to his hair, which was its usual midnight blue, “or _this_.” He screwed his face up and his hair shifted to a pastel blue shade that was almost silver as the light hit it.

“Ooh that one!” she said as soon as it changed. “I really like that!”

“Only because it’s similar to your hair,” he teased. 

“So it’s the obvious choice! Have I ever told you how much I wish I could do that too?” She was twirling a quill absent-mindedly between her fingers.

“Why? You have lovely hair,” he said automatically, willing himself not to blush. He distracted himself by levitating a log onto the fire, pretending this was a completely casual thing to say.

“I want it to be pastel pink,” she mused randomly, “but Dad won’t let me.”

“Why not?”

“Because _some of us_ can’t just change it back in a heartbeat.” She grinned and leant over to tuck a stray strand of Teddy’s now-pale hair into place. He smiled at her touch, painfully aware of how close they were to each other. 

He could just lean forward and kiss her right now, he really could. If she wanted him to. 

“Well, goodnight, Teds. Good luck for tomorrow.” She rose from the sofa and left for her dorm, and it took Teddy a few minutes to realise he was sat in someone else’s common room. 

* * *

The portkey was set up in The Three Broomsticks and Madam Rosmerta smiled kindly as she handed it over and wished him luck. The journey was rather unpleasant, as if he’d been grabbed by a giant hand and unceremoniously dumped in the middle of wizarding Paris. His shaky French and some helpful notes Vic had written for him meant finding _La Perfection_ _de Pierre_ wasn’t impossible, and he arrived just on time. 

Pierre’s shop was the most typically French building Teddy had been to, all gold decoration and pale blues. Pierre on the other hand, was not what Teddy was expecting.

He was younger than Teddy had imagined, probably around Harry’s age, and he had dark hair with streaks of grey which made him look distinguished. He was dressed all in black and walked with confidence. 

“Teddy?” he asked, holding out his hand, his crystal blue eyes twinkling.

“Yes sir, pleased to meet you.” Teddy shook his hand and sat down where Pierre was gesturing. 

Pierre ran his gaze over Teddy coolly, stopping at his hair. Teddy gulped as he felt the older man’s judgemental stare.

“Who cuts it?” he asked shortly, with no emotion.

“Er, nobody,” he replied, preparing himself to explain. “I’m a metamorphmagus you see, so I can change my appearance. I morphed it like this,” he tailed off sheepishly.

Pierre stared at him. “It hasn’t had one of those awful charms used on it has it?”

“No, sir. All me, no charms.” Teddy tried to emulate Pierre’s confidence, hoping this was the right thing to say. 

Pierre nodded. “That’ll be why it looks okay. I hate those charms.”

“So you, er, you don’t use charms either?” Teddy sort of hoped he would say yes, because he had no clue how to do the charms. 

“Merlin no, dear boy. And if you’re about to tell me that’s what you’ve been using when you say you’ve had experience, we can end this meeting right here.” He learnt back in his chair. 

“Absolutely not, sir! This started out as a hobby, I didn’t know the charm so I did it the muggle way, but I found I’m sort of okay at it. So I carried on doing it that way.” Teddy tried not to sound nervous, even though he was. 

Pierre’s expression warmed considerably until he was unmistakably smiling at Teddy. “My boy, that’s the most terrific news I’ve heard in years! A young thing like you, who wants to learn my craft from me _and_ who appreciates that the muggle way should be the _only_ way.”

“Quite right, sir.” Teddy was inclined to agree.

“My great-grandfather was a muggle you see, he started the family business, and my goodness how I’d hate to see our family business run out by all these flashy wizards who think they can save time and money using some standard, one-size-fits-all approach for just about anyone and call it hairdressing. It sickens me.”

Teddy had never heard anyone speak so passionately about the subject before.

“For example, take these two, behind you.” He pointed to a moving picture of two models. “The trained eye can clearly see they are two very different hair types, but what do people go and do? Use exactly the same hair charm on them both. Would that work, Teddy?”

Teddy was shocked into responding by Pierre’s first use of his name. He studied the pair Pierre was indicating; one of them had sleek, fine, blond hair and the other looked similar to Albus.

“Well, no I don’t reckon it would work. You’d maybe get away with it on the blond but that dark hair? No way. That’d need a different approach entirely.”

“What approach would you use?” Pierre asked with interest.

“I don’t know, it’s probably wrong, I’m not trained like you,” Teddy muttered, turning red.

“But you’ve got instincts, I can tell. I won’t laugh, consider this lesson one of your training.” He winked at Teddy.

“Okay.” Teddy took a deep breath. “Well, I cut my godbrother’s hair at Christmas and his was a bit like that. Sort of wayward and all over the place.” Pierre nodded in approval while Teddy explained how he’d tried to make Al’s haircut work with the natural mess of his hair.

“Excuse me.” Pierre sniffed and Teddy noticed his eyes were damp. “Sorry, forgive me.”

“Are you okay, sir?” Teddy felt extremely uncomfortable and couldn’t understand why the older man was upset.

“More than okay! Teddy, I don’t have children of my own. I thought my practices would die with me. I hoped to take on an apprentice from Beauxbatons but there’s been little interest, and those candidates were hardly worth my expertise. But _you_. You’re just what I’ve been looking for.”

“I am?” Teddy was taken aback.

“I would gladly take you on as my apprentice, I would _love_ to teach you my craft, I think you will be a wonderful student.”

“I’ll do my best, sir.” Teddy beamed at the older man.

“Now, first thing’s first.” He got up from where he was sitting, gesturing for Teddy to follow. Together they walked across the shop floor, stopping at his styling chair and Teddy gave him a confused look when Pierre looked expectant.

“Sorry, what do you want me to do?”

“Sit down, boy.”

Teddy did so, staring at himself in the mirror now in front of him.

“How do you expect to _learn_ from me if you have never experienced what it’s like to be _served_ by me?”

There he went again, speaking about hairdressing as if it were his divine calling.

“Do you trust me, Teddy?”

“Yes, sir.” Teddy nodded.

“Then prepare, to be Pierred.” He waved his wand and a cape tied itself around Teddy then he placed his wand back down with a significant look in Teddy’s direction, picking up his scissors instead.

Shortly afterwards, Teddy was looking at his reflection in utter amazement. What had previously been his usual mop, was now completely transformed. The sides and back of his hair were now so short, they were almost invisible but the top was still long and floppy, tousled artfully over to one side so some strands fell into his face when he moved.

Teddy had to admit, it suited him. His piercing filled ear was now completely visible, not at all hidden by his hair, and the moon phase tattoo on the back of his neck felt exposed.

“You like it?” Pierre asked a speechless Teddy, vanishing the cape and cut blue strands with one wave of his wand.

“I… yeah, yeah I do like it. Thankyou.” Teddy was turning his head from side to side, admiring his new hairstyle from all angles.

“Go on, touch it. Make it yours.” Pierre asked, clearing the area around them.

Teddy didn’t hesitate and immediately ran his hand over the back of his head, the short stubble feeling unfamiliar but satisfying. He shook out the longer top section, enjoying its texture and wondering how Pierre had achieved that with his usually soft hair. He brushed his fringe from his eyes and over to one side. He looked sort of, _good_.

“And to think, I’d just been morphing it the same old way it was before for _years_.”

“Entrez Pierre,” he said with a mock bow.

“Thankyou, sir,” he said, beaming at him.

“Now Teddy, I’d really rather you didn’t call me ‘sir’. Makes me feel absolutely ancient…”

* * *

The portkey delivered him back to Hogsmeade just as abruptly as it had taken him and he started to trudge back to the castle, an unstoppable grin on his face. He couldn’t wait to tell Grandma, and Harry and Ginny, and Max and Vic.

For the first time in his life, he had a _plan_. A plan which he was so excited about, he felt like he was floating as he continued the walk to the castle. He would be graduating from Hogwarts and then he would be moving to France to be Pierre’s apprentice. His plan!

Hagrid was waiting at the gates to let him in, and he did so, taking in Teddy’s expression.

“I take it things went well?”

Teddy nodded. “He offered me an apprenticeship, I’m moving to France!”

“Ah France,” said Hagrid fondly, “beautiful country, beautiful people.”

Hagrid did not elaborate as to who or what he was referring to.

“Well, I won’t keep you from sharing your news,” Hagrid said as they reached his own hut.

“Thanks Professor Hagrid!” Teddy called, waving as he parted ways with the half-giant and crossed the grounds to the castle doors by himself.

The Entrance Hall was empty but not quiet as it was halfway through dinner. A familiar voice greeted him.

“Teds! How did it go? How was it? Are you going to do it?”

He felt his heart rate quicken as she ran towards him, coming out of the Great Hall where dinner was still taking place. She stopped a few feet from him, her eyebrows raised and her mouth slightly open.

“Wow,” she breathed, her lips moving into a kind of smile Teddy had never seen her give him before. It was radiant and glowing and took over her whole face, her bright blue eyes wide and staring at him in what looked like delighted surprise.

“What? What is it?” Teddy looked behind him, wondering what she was so taken by all of a sudden. The empty space behind him made him realise she was _looking_ _at_ _him_. Victoire Weasley was looking at him with what was unmistakably her _flirty_ _smile_.

“Your hair,” she said simply but breathlessly, still staring at him with wide, blue eyes. “You look… _so_ good.”

“Oh, yeah, Pierre did it for me.” Teddy didn’t know how to respond to the look she was giving him and settled for awkwardly stuffing his hands into his pockets and grinning at her. Of course Victoire had paid him compliments before, but there was something very different about the way she was looking at him; nothing about her expression said ‘best friends forever’.

“You know Teds, you’re actually going to kill me one of these days.” She said this in a low voice and then turned on her heel and left, her silvery hair dancing behind her.

Well what in Merlin’s name did that mean?

She can’t have meant… she can’t have been, _flirting_ with him could she?

Maybe she just really liked his hair. Maybe she actually really _hated_ his hair and didn’t know how to tell him so had left instead of face the awkward situation of revealing that she thought he looked awful.

“Vic!” He called after her in a bewildered voice, realising he’d been stood in still confusion in the entrance hall watching her leave for far longer than was normal. He had to almost run to catch up with her halfway down a corridor.

“Yes?” She turned around, her expression unreadable.

“What did… what did you mean? Just then?”

“You really have no idea do you?” She said, as if she were commenting on the weather. Teddy felt slightly offended at this suggestion, he wasn’t completely useless. He _did_ have an idea, it just seemed so incredibly unlikely to him.

“Were you just _flirting_ with me?” He stared at her incredulously.

Victoire cocked her head to one side and gave him a pitying smile.

Bollocks.

Of course she wasn’t flirting with him, and now he’d gone and made himself look like a prize idiot for asking such a stupid, presumptuous question. Girls like Victoire don’t flirt with boys like Teddy.

She straightened up, the corner of her mouth quirking upwards. Clearly the idea was very amusing to her. Teddy felt his insides twist in embarrassment and disappointment.

“Have been for the past year, well done for noticing.”

Teddy froze in speechless shock as his brain processed what she’d just said.  _Have been for the past year… well done for noticing… flirting with you for the past year… the past year._

He stared at her, taking in everything about her appearance: her shiny black school shoes, her long grey socks, her school skirt and the way she’d tucked her shirt into it, her Ravenclaw tie sitting perfectly at her throat, her shiny Prefect badge, the silvery hair which flowed over the shoulders of her robe and finally her face. Her beautiful, familiar face which, right now, had moved from an expression of confidence and amusement to one of apprehension and fear.

Teddy realised his only response so far to her confession was to stand there staring at her. What if she thought he was repulsed by the idea of her flirting with him?

He desperately scrambled for the right words to match her casual tone but also to tell her that it was _really_ _very_ _okay_ for her to flirt with him. Somewhere in the process of trying to say the right thing, Teddy felt himself move towards Victoire in a movement he didn’t remember planning to make.

He felt reckless all of a sudden, inspired by the boldness of Victoire’s own admittance and his desire to let her know that he felt the same way. Without thinking anymore, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her towards him gently and paused for a split second.

Then he kissed her.

In a heartbeat, Teddy knew it had been the right thing to do as he felt her start to kiss him back. Their lips moved together fluidly, their bodies pressing closer together as their hands found each other in between. Teddy felt lightheaded from the rollercoaster of emotions he’d just been on and the way every part of him was tingling the more he and Victoire kissed.

Because this was _Victoire_ , the girl he’d known his whole life, the girl who’d been his best friend since they were both kids, the girl who’d been by his side at every single Weasley wedding when things got boring, the girl who he’d teased endlessly but stood up for if anyone else tried it, the girl who had always been there for him when he needed a friend, the girl who, if he was being honest, he’d fallen for a long time ago, the girl who _he_ could never be good enough for.

But she was kissing him too, she’d just admitted to flirting with him _all year_ waiting for him to notice. How could he have failed to notice until now? Could this have happened months ago if he’d been more observant?

Eventually they broke apart, and she gave him a radiant smile and glanced down at their still entwined hands.

“You have _no idea_ how long I’ve wanted to do that for,” she whispered, and he grinned back at her, probably looking like a total idiot but not caring in the slightest. It was almost too good to be true that she really was returning his feelings, after he convinced himself she could never like him like that. 

They set off down the corridor, no destination in mind, an unspoken arrangement to talk about what had just happened. He held her petite hand as they walked, enjoying the feel of it in his own.

“If only I’d known that all it would take for this to happen was for me to get a haircut.” Teddy laughed, their connected hands swinging gently together.

“Merlin, that makes me sound incredibly shallow doesn’t it?” She looked scandalised. “Let’s call it a catalyst for my recklessness.”

“This is reckless is it?” He moved closer to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and she mirrored him, placing hers around his waist. Nothing had ever felt safer and less reckless. 

“You got the apprenticeship,” she replied, as if that explained it. 

Teddy slowed down and turned to look at her. “How did you know?”

“Because I know you.” She looked at her feet. “When do you leave?” 

“September, not for ages.” He squeezed her hand and she looked back up at him, her expression a mixture of relief and anguish. 

“Not for ages, right.” She smiled and closed the gap between them again, kissing him softly. 

As he held her to him, feeling giddy with emotion over the day he’d had, he realised his plan hadn’t accounted for _this_ happening at all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay between chapter 4 and this, hope there's still at least someone reading!   
> I want to follow more hp blogs, especially fic writers on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/littlerose13writes) so let me know if you're on there too :) mine is littlerose13writes


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